Creative Europe
Desk UK
for Culture

European circus is artistically diverse and recognised as being opened to all, unifying, and meaningful, equalling to exciting challenges for people working in the field.

9 co-organisers (FR, IT, ES, PT, CZ, UK) as well as a large European platform of 15 countries and 31 associated partners strong from previous collaboration will share the same objective: help, sustain and develop creative production of European contemporary circus.

The goal of the CircusNext Consortia is to create conditions for the development of the contemporary circus in Europe and to establish lasting relationships between artists, professionals and the public to enable artists to develop their careers. It has multiple partners.

CircusNext:

– An artistic scene of emerging authors selected by experts and recognised artists.
– Artistic laboratories (intergenerational mentoring, intercultural networking events).
– An European circus season
– Links between audiences, professionals and institutions
– Evaluation tools

Circus Futures (Co-organiser) is a UK based company which delivered a national showcase of UK circus in 2006 and 2011; both editions of which were funded by Arts Council England. The 2011 edition included three contemporary circus commissions with residencies in three creation centres in the UK [Crashmat Collective at Nofit State Circus in Wales/ Mattress Circus at Wookey Hole near Wells in England/ Sugar Beast Circus at The Hippodrome in Great Yarmouth in England.]

Both showcases were organised to include an international conference about circus development. An open call for applicants was held in each edition with in excess of 55 companies applying per time. The project worked with three external producers per edition; international consultant Verena Cornwall was the Executive Producer for both editions. She has worked in street arts for 27 years and in circus and carnival for over 20 years, here and abroad, plus has extensive experience of EU funded partnerships.

Circus Futures has been involved in the planning of the EU project Circus Next/Jeunes Talents Cirque Europe since 2006 and in 2008, 2010 and 2012 the Executive Producer of Circus Futures was an international Judge. Circus Futures was an Associate Partner of Circus Next/Jeunes Talents Cirque Europe in 2009/2010 and a Co-organister in 2011/2012. This involved dissemination of the “open call” for applicants, mentoring applicants in the UK, reading the 150+ applications solicited in each open call, viewing the physical companies work in the first selection round as part of the jury, assisting in finding residencies. Circus Futures partnered with The Dublin Fringe in 2011/2012.