Let's meet!

OUR CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES FOR 2021-2022 IS WAITING FOR YOU ONLINE!

We are happy to share with you our brand new Save the Dates for 2021-2022! Discover the actions the network will be leading with its members up until August 2022 in Europe and beyond! The first year of the project will be dedicated to the theme “living body/ies”, which will infuse all activities carried out and will result in a bilingual thematic publication to be released over the course of the summer, stay tuned!

On the agenda: an in-depth training activity in Wales (UK) co-organised with Articulture & Wales Arts International in the frame of the Outdoor Arts Gathering Wales 2022, a cross-sectoral laboratory in Tilburg (The Netherlands) to discuss and imagine the future of big tops co-organised with Festival Circolo, a General Meeting in Kaunas (Lithuania) co-organised with Teatronas in the frame of Cirkuliacija and a field trip to New York, Montreal and Quebec co-organised with La TOHU in the frame of the MICC (International Market of Contemporary Circus).   

Circostrada will also produce a wide range of bilingual multimedia resources and will continue advocating for contemporary circus and outdoor arts along with other fellow European and international cultural networks.  

Spread the word and join us! 

 

DON'T MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE OUTDOOR ARTS TALKS PROMOTED BY BUSSOLA

Landscape as a key element of the outdoor artistic experience is the theme for another online session of Outdoor Arts Talks. Based on the artistic and conceptual sensibility of festivals, cultural organizations and artists, this session is expected to share ideas and visions of how the landscape can become a central element in models of contemporary artistic creation for public space.

Save the Dates: 22 February 2022 online 
19:30 CET
18:30 PT/UK

Annie Grundy, Articulture [UK]        
Cátia Pinheiro & José Nunes, Estrutura [PT]                                    
Jens Frimann Hansen, PASSAGE Festival [DK]

NEW PROJECT FOR CIRCOSTRADA AND 3 MORE YEARS TO BOOST, SUPPORT AND DEVELOP CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS AND OUTDOOR ARTS IN EUROPE AND ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE!

We are very happy to announce that Circostrada – coordinated by ARTCENA – successfully bid on the call for proposals of the Creative Europe programme (category European networks and cultural and creative organisations), led by the European commission! As a result, Circostrada will receive a 3-year funding amounting to 825 000€ to carry out its new project entitled “CS body/ies”, which is dedicated to supporting, promoting and developing contemporary circus and outdoor arts in Europe and internationally until August 2024.

For the next three years, Circostrada will work with its members to:

• foster and increase cooperation, learning and connections,
• support the international presence of circus and street arts,
• develop skills and expertise,
• foment experimentation and innovation,
• encourage the emergence of new talents,
• provide complete and accurate resources on both sectors,
• create synergies in advocacy with fellow EU networks.

 

Fulfilling these objectives will reinforce Circostrada members’ professional capacity and extend their networks, will empower circus and street arts workers with new practices, tools, and models to embrace more inclusive and representative approaches, and will strengthen the visibility and recognition of both sectors.

The network will lead numerous actions, among others: 3 network meetings, 3 field trips outside of Europe, 1 international FRESH event, 2 cross-sectorial laboratories, 3 hybrid training modules, 3 mentoring programmes, various job shadowing opportunities, dozens of advocacy actions, 15 bilingual publications, and several podcasts, videos, and datavisualitions. 

CS body/ies’ outcomes and impacts will reach an audience of 25000+ affiliated organisations and individuals.

Stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with our actions and initiatives!

LEME festival presents in 2021 a new edition of CIRCUS FORUM: a space of sharing, reflection and debate. A full day to think about the contemporary circus and future challenges. You will be able to experience a diverse pool of activities and themes: a debate between emerging creators in European context today, a conversation about the European project BETA CIRCUS and a roundtable based on the French experience of repertoire In circus arts.

The full agenda of the festival [2-12 DEC 2021] will be announced soon, including Circo Caótico [PT], CircusPhilia [PT], Collectif Sous le Manteau [FR], Compagnie L'oublié(e)/Raphaëlle Boitel [FR], Compagnie Sans Gravité [FR], Coração nas Mãos [PT], Familiar Faces [BE], Gaëtan Levêque [FR], Gaspar Ribeiro [CV], Jannick Lüthi [CH], Les Hommes Penchés/Nicolas Fraiseau [FR], Miguel Lopes Moreira [PT], Radar 360 [PT], Rita Oliveira [PT], Rui Paixão [PT].

Are you a European artist looking to tour the UK after Brexit?
Are you a UK festival or venue looking to invite European artists to the UK?

Register now for our next free online session Dealing with Brexit, which will take place on Tuesday, September 14 at 4pm BST - or 5pm Central European Summer Time (CEST).

This informal session will focus on short-term incoming mobility and will be an opportunity to ask questions and hear from people who have had experience navigating the new rules.

To learn more, follow the link below

We are happy to inform you that 5 new members have joined the network! It's about time to introduce them to you properly and tell you more about who they are, what they do, where they are based in, and above all start getting in touch and imagining things together!

Congratulations to them and welcome to the Circostrada sphere!

ARTEKALE

Artekale was born in 2004 with the aim of enhancing, promoting and disseminating street arts in the Basque Country, as well as positioning the Basque Country at national and international level. The association brings together professionals, both from the public and private sectors: 50 companies, 11 festivals and 3 distributors, all with the aim of dignifying the street arts.

Focus: Street arts

City and country: Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain

➡ www.artekale.org

➡ Reach out on Facebook & Instagram

 

CIRKUS SYD

Cirkus Syd is a platform to connect people, ideas and practices across borders and genres. They work in the cultural sphere using their expertise in contemporary circus arts and collaborate to inspire structural development and new opportunities.

Cirkus Syd is excited by innovation, entrepreneurship, DIY, DIT and artistic research and champion culture as an agent for democratic participation.

The platform is an international NGO with a global membership base and invites collaborators, partners and stakeholders to create visionary and developmental projects bringing people together to explore transdisciplinary cultural practices in our society.

Focus: Circus

City and country: Lund, Sweden

Contact person: Lina B. Frank, Director, International Coordinator

➡ cirkussyd.com

➡ Reach out on Facebook

 

DYNAMO

DYNAMO is a stage and a workspace for circus and performing arts located in the middle of Denmark at Odense city harbor.
The old warehouse facilitates the framework for artistic work in progress, guest performance, residencies and open training. DYNAMO is hosting and creating artistic activities as a circus festival in August and Co/productions
As a production house and cultural gathering place, DYNAMO wants to create sustainable conditions for performers and increase the quality of artistic production through mutual aid.

Focus: Circus

City and country: Odense, Denmark

Contact person: Gry Lambertsen, Artistic Director

➡ www.dynamoworkspace.dk

➡ Reach out on Facebook

 

ARCHAOS, PÔLE CIRQUE NATIONAL

Archaos, Pôle National Cirque has for main missions to support and accompany circus creation through residencies and co-productions of contemporary circus companies.

The organisation promotes artistic and cultural presence in Southern France through the programming of shows, the organization of cultural actions, and the support to contemporary circus professionals.

Archaos is also the organiser of the BIENNALE internationale des arts du cirque (BIAC), a month-long festival taking place in the entire southern region of France.

Focus: Circus

City and country: Marseille, France

Contact person: Simon Carrara, Co-director

➡ www.archaos.fr

➡ Reach out on Facebook

 

MOVEMENT, PHYSICAL AND DANCE THEATER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

The mission of the festival is to promote movement, physical and dance theater in the region and develop Caucasian performing arts worldwide as well, through showcases and co-productions.

The festival includes international programmes, Caucasian showcases, focus programmes, masterclasses, workshops, presentations, discussions and publications.

Focus: Multidisciplinary

City and country: Tbilissi, Georgia

Contact person: Levan Khetaguri, Director

➡ Reach out on Facebook

 

MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS!

Circostrada is both happy and proud to introduce you its 6 new members:

• CIRCORED (SPAIN)

CircoRED is the Federation of Professional Circus Associations in Spain.

More than 700 professionals make up this network that covers several circus styles and different show formats for all types of venues and audiences. Our aim is to promote the professional development of circus in Spain, bringing it closer to the spectators, reclaiming its presence in circuits and festivals, promoting it abroad and defending its presence in cultural public programmes. 

For more info, visit their website

• CINESTHESIA & EYE’S WALK DIGITAL FESTIVAL (GREECE)

Since 2014, the Social Cooperative Enterprise “Cinesthesia” runs Eye’s WalkDigital Festival on the island of Syros, in Greece and internationally (Italy, Iran). The festival connects to the unique architectural legacy of a city by creating a layer of digital works (projections, installations, performances) that enable to strengthen the link between the public space and the local community. We experiment with art in public space in order to awake and mobilize individual and collective consciousness in relation to social responsibility and social change. Storytelling and narratives are key to the work as is the Greek word "Eros".

For more info, visit their website

• SZTUKMISTRZE FOUNDATION (POLAND)

Sztukmistrze Foundation is a Polish NGO devoted to the promotion and development of contemporary circus culture. Our focus is three-fold: artistic (performance and short acts production and staging), educational (circus pedagogy projects and professional artist education) and community-based (organisation of circus festivals and networking).

For more info, visit their website 

• LUDIFICO CIRCUS ARTS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SERBIA)

​Ludifico Circus Art Development Center was established in 2012, and since then our mission is to promote circus through culture and art, the affirmation of the performing arts and the creation of an independent art scene, providing conditions for the education of children and youth. We achieve these goals through the education and production of local artists, as well as through international exchange. Our vision is to lay the foundations for the development and affirmation of circus through education, international cooperation, productions and co-productions.

For more info, visit their website (currently in maintenance)

• ZWEIFELLOS (GERMANY)

With its two partners Kathrin Bahr and Julia von Wild, zweifellos.net is an organization for cultural services based in Germany, whose main focus is outdoor arts. They are the artistic directors and producers of the festival ParkPerPlex in Norderstedt and the well known festival tête-à-tête in Rastatt, which is the biggest festival for outdoor arts in Germany. 

For more info, visit their website

• HIGH FEST (ARMENIA)

HIGH FEST was established in 2003 and is organized in the first decade of October in Yerevan (Armenia). Annually, the festival hosts more than 35-40 companies from 25-30 countries, welcoming 400-500 participants and guests. The programme features an Armenian showcase to show the palette of contemporary performing arts in Armenia, a special Iranian focus and a strong educational programme. Since 2006, HIGH FEST is the main festival in the territory of the ex-USSR countries (outside of Moscow). In 2019-2021, the festival received the EFFE label delivered by EFA and now counts among the best 24 festivals in Europe. Besides the main festival, a spin-off called HIGH STREET - International festival for street theatre and circus is organised outside of Armenia in many countries on an outsourcing basis.

Fore more info, visit their website

THE NUIT DU CIRQUE IS COMING BACK FOR A THIRD EDITION!

Circostrada, circusnext and Institut français are proud to partner up in the next Nuit du cirque (Circus night), an event celebrating contemporary circus that is coordinated by the French network Territoires de cirque and will take place on November 12, 13, and 14.

Together with circusnext, Circostrada will be gathering the information on the events you're planning on doing, so they can be displayed on the Nuit du cirque website and general communication.

For those of you who already know that you will participate, we kindly ask you to send us the following information:

If you are both a Circostrada and a circusnext member, please write to circusnext at: ndc@circusnext.eu.

If you are "only" a Circostrada member, please write to: infocircostrada@artcena.fr.

If you are "only" a circusnext member, please write to: ndc@circusnext.eu.  

The sooner we get some intention of participation from you, the more Territoires de cirque, the coordinator, can communicate on your participation and actions!

You are invited to join PITCH, a mentoring programme created by the ISACS network and Culture Ireland, in association with Spraoi Festival 

ISACS and Culture Ireland are delighted to present to you a selection of Irish street and circus artists with exciting contemporary and diverse work available now for tour. So come along and discover the voice of Irish artists and book them quick for your next festival, event, programme.

This years PITCH takes place live at Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford on August 6 and will also be streamed digitally.

 

This years PITCH artists are:

• Tumble Circus
• Turas Theatre Collective
• Seve Feathers
• Fidget Feet Aerial Dance
• Grant Goldie
• Cikada Circus

 

How to watch

Spectators are welcome to view PITCH 2021 via Zoom, all you need to do is register for your place through Eventbrite.

We are more than happy to inform you that registration to our next General Meeting is open!

The next General Meeting of Circostrada Network will take place from June 29th to July 3rd 2021 in Alès (France), in partnership with Le Cratère - National stage of Alès (France), the Institut français and Occitanie en scène. It will take place in the frame of the Focus Territories and Arts of the Institut français and of the 22nd edition of Cratère Surfaces - Alès International Outdoor Festival.

This key moment of exchange and physical encounter will be the opportunity to reflect on our relationship to territories, to share experiences, inspiring projects - be they artistic, citizen or political - in connection to the making of urban spaces with a view to revisiting our means to grasp and interact with these common spaces. 

•  The programme of the General Meeting is available HERE.
•  Check out the artistic programme of Cratère Surface HERE. 
• Register HERE

 

Registration will close on June 15th. 

We look forward to welcoming you in Alès!