Clowns in the UK have raised concerns that the current craze for scary clown sightings is damaging the profession.
The trend of dressing up in clown outfits to scare bystanders originated in the US, but has since spread to the UK, encouraged by social media.
“This is nothing to do with clowning, it’s to do with people hijacking a costume and for some sinister reason trying to scare people,” said Rob Bowker, spokesman for the UK-based Clowns International.
If you’re a professional clown, we’d like to hear your story here at the Guardian, to help educate our readers about this ancient and noble artform.
What inspired you to become a clown? How would you describe your act, and which other clowns do you most admire? Have you felt public perception of clowning change over the years, and are you worried about its future as a profession?
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