GLOBAL CROSSING TAIWAN & JAPAN

SAVE THE DATE FOR GLOBAL CROSSING TAIWAN+JAPAN 2025 

Get ready for the next edition of Global Crossing, an inspiring 10-day exploratory journey beyond Europe designed especially for you!

Global Crossing offers a unique opportunity to immerse in the local ecosystems of contemporary circus and outdoor arts, build international connections, and discover exciting artistic scenes outside of Europe. As always, the programme is anchored in local festivals and cultural markets to foster meaningful exchange. But Global Crossing is also about s about creating international synergies, nurturing solidarity, and exploring how contemporary circus and outdoor arts can express resilience and resistance through culture.

Registration for Global Crossing Taiwan + Japan are closed.

The programme at a glance:

• Dec 3–4 and 8-9: Taipei, Taiwan
  A deep dive into Taiwan’s cultural and civic landscape, with visits to venues and institutions, and meetings with artists, researchers, activists, companies, schools, and social organisations. This part of the journey will offer rich exchanges with key figures shaping Taiwan’s vibrant artistic ecosystem. 
  The delegates will take part in visits to the Shinehouse/ WAN Theatre, Taiwan National College of Performing Arts, to the Taiwanese National Theatre and Concert hall, to HHHUB, to the Taipei Performing Arts Centre, to the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center, to the National Human Rights Park and to FOCASA. 
• Dec 5–7: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  One of the highlights of the trip! The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) will host a particularly vibrant edition of the Weiwuying Circus Platform festival - with a large part of the programme taking place outdoors - as well as the Circus Asia Network Annual General Meeting. A unique moment to connect with regional professionals, projects, and networks driving innovation and transformation in the Asian circus sector.
  On Dec. 6, Aaron Marquise (TOHU) and Alice Brunot (Circostrada) will participate in a talk around "New visions of contemporary circus arts".
  On Dec. 7, Tim Berhen (CircusDanceFestival) and Isabel Joly (FEDEC) will participate in a talk around "Broadening gender boundaries through devised creation".
• Dec 10–11: Yokohama & Tokyo, Japan
  In collaboration with Setouchi Circus Factory and Mirai Circus Network (Japanese contemporary circus network), this segment includes an international gathering of the contemporary circus field, embedded within the YPAM – Yokohama Performing Arts Meeting. A strategic opportunity to engage with Japanese and international programmers and artists, and continue building connections with members of the Circus Asia Network members.
  In that framework, the delegates will also take part in showcases at the Setagaya Public Theater in Tokyo
  On Dec .11, Alice Brunot (Circostrada), Lotta Nevalainen (Circus & Dance Finland) will participate in a talk around “Crossing Boarders: Contemporary Circus Today”.
   
• Dec 12-14: Kyoto & Osaka, Japan
  In collaboration with Setouchi Circus Factory, this part of the journey will feature Japanese circus and outdoor arts showcases in the Kansai area, along with performances and professional exchange opportunities.
  The delegates will take part in showcases at Kansai Aerial and at Isshinji Theater Kura.
• Dec 15-16: Shikoku Island, Japan
  Conclude the experience with a visit to KUMA Labo, the Setouchi Circus Factory’s residency and creation space. Enjoy performances, site visits, and encounters with artists and producers from this innovative hub of contemporary circus in Japan.

Partners: 

ABOUT THE CO-ORGANISERS, PARTNERS & VENUES OF GLOBAL CROSSINGS

CO-ORGANISERS

Mirai Circus Network or MiCiNet

A collaborative initiative founded by five Japanese producers to cultivate the future of contemporary circus. Its goal is to connect artists, producers, and organizers so they can share resources, expand creative opportunities, and increase visibility. Through practical projects such as a national database, artist residencies, and showcases, it seeks to strengthen Japan’s circus ecosystem while serving as a hub for international exchange. You can view the Japanese Contemporary Circus Database below. 

Setouchi Circus Factory (SCF) 

Setouchi Circus Factory (SCF), based in Kagawa, Japan, pioneers a unique approach to contemporary circuses by asking: What does a truly original Japanese circus look like? Rooted in the landscapes and craftsmanship of the Setouchi region, they blend site-specific creations, natural materials, and community collaborations. Through their early involvement in European and Asian networks, they act as a cultural bridge, redefining the circus as a space for dialogue, transformation, and social imagination, connecting Japan with the rest of the world. 

CAN (Circus Asia Network) 

CAN aims at developing Contemporary Circus in Asia through a nurturing and cultivating environment. CAN's founding members consist of 7 countries, 13 organizations, and 17 delegates. Including Mongolia, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Australia.

PARTNERS and CO-HOST

Weiwuying Circus Platform Festival 

Launched in 2016, Weiwuying Circus Platform took place annually in early December and was adjusted to a biannual platform in 2023. The 2025 Weiwuying Circus Platform presents "Inverting the Ordinary, All Things in Flow, ”— a theme that dissolves conventional boundaries. This edition transcends traditional production frameworks through international collaborations and moves performances beyond conventional theaters into unexpected spaces. 

YPAM (Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting) 

YPAM is one of Asia’s leading platforms for contemporary performing arts. Originally founded in 1995 as TPAM (Tokyo Performing Arts Market) and now based in Yokohama, YPAM brings together artists, producers, and presenters from around the world for performances, networking, and exchanges. With programs like YPAM Direction, Exchange, and Fringe, fosters transnational collaboration while spotlighting local creativity. YPAM plays a vital role in shaping the future of performing arts through dialogue, innovation, and cultural diversity 

VENUES 

TAIWAN 

SHINEHOUSE CIE/ WAN THEATRE

Shinehouse Theatre was established in Taipei in 2006, with Po-Yuan Chung, Nina Yeh, Yung-Yuan CHENG and Chia-Yi CHEN as the core operators, now operating Wan Theater in Tangbu Cultural Park, Wanhua, Taipei. Its creations include pieces on social issues; literature adaptations; and ghost stories series in “A Midsummer Night’s Chat.” Shinehouse Theatre also developed “The Otter’s Plan” with the locals in Wanhua, offering theatre courses to the physically and mentally disabled in Nanhai Center, aiming for inclusive theatre. They have participated in Shanghai International Contemporary Theatre Festival, Bangkok International Theater Festival, Festival/Tokyo, Taipei Arts Festival, Asian Performing Arts Festival, East Asia People Theatre Festival, and Edinburgh Festival Fringe performances.

Taiwan national college of performing arts -  NTCPA

The National Taiwan College of Performing Arts (NTCPA), founded in 1999 and upgraded in 2006, offers Taiwan’s first 12-year curriculum in traditional opera and acrobatics. Its Acrobatics Department trains students from elementary to college level in performance, directing, and teaching, blending tradition with innovation. NTCPA nurtures skilled, creative, and versatile performers, preserving heritage while fostering artistic excellence and career success.

National Theater and Concert Hall -  NTCH

Bringing people together through the arts is an essential part of the mission of the NTCH, Taiwan's longest-running and most respected performance arts venue. Since its founding in 1987, NTCH programs proudly cover the world's finest in theater, dance, and music, with all major performances taking place at the 1,500-seat National Theater and the 2,000-seat National Concert Hall. These twin buildings are visual icons in Taipei's cityscape, boasting majestic architecture that always inspires artists and audience members alike.

National Human Rights Park

The Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park preserves the history of Taiwan’s White Terror era (1949–1992), a period of martial law marked by political repression, arrests, and executions of dissidents. Originally the site of the Military Law School, it became the Jing-Mei Military Detention Center and Military Court in 1968, where prisoners were interrogated, tried, and held. Today, the park features exhibitions, recreated scenes, oral histories, and interactive installations revealing prisoners’ lives. With a Human Rights Education Center, reading room, and events like workshops and film festivals, it educates visitors and keeps the legacy of human rights struggles alive.

HHHUB

Multi-functional space of Hsingho Co., Ltd. and HoooH, co-founded by former Cirque du Soleil performer Hsing-Ho Chen and Yu-Lun Chiang, HHHUB is a key connector between Taiwan and the international circus community, the organization is dedicated to promoting circus culture. Rooted in the core spirit of "Though starlight may be faint, together it shines brilliantly," the initiative gathers circus professionals from both domestic and international spheres, rallying interdisciplinary collaboration and blending contemporary narrative and aesthetic elements to showcase the diversity of contemporary circus and expand imaginative horizons. They are members of Circostrada, and CAN - Circus Asia Network.

National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts (Weiwuying)

One of the three National Performing Arts Centers in Taiwan, the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts - Weiwuying opened in 2018 and now operates year-round, nurturing local talents and bridging international professionals to southern Taiwan. Weiwuying acts as a platform for professionals of arts and culture in the world to exchange ideas. With a broad mind and vision, Weiwuying looks forward to serving as a creative hub for theatre makers and discovering a new cultural frontier.

Taipei Performing Arts Center

Inspired by Taiwanese hotpot as a diagram of consolidation and efficiency, TPAC is designed by OMA, led by renowned architects Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten, and will be the new cultural landmark in Taiwan. Resembling a magic cube, TPAC is a complex structure housing one grand theater (1,500 seats), one proscenium theater (800 seats), and one multiform theater (400–800 seats), while the grand theater and multiform theater can be combined into a super theater (65 m × 20 m stage space) to accommodate productions with monumental scale. Play Different is the core value of TPAC. We pursue cultural diversities, embrace innovative technology, challenge spatial boundaries, and lean toward projects that involve the local community, whether in artistic or creative aspects. In addition to creating genre-crossing experiences for audiences, TPAC is eager to foster local and next-generation artists and to promote international collaboration, which will enable us to bring a new perspective and present outstanding Taiwanese works on the international stage.

Taiwan Traditional Theater Center - TTTC

The Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center, operated by the National Center for Traditional Arts, is a major cultural venue in Taipei dedicated to the preservation, innovation, and presentation of traditional performing arts, including opera, puppetry, music, and ritual-based practices. It serves as a dynamic platform for artists, audiences, and international exchange.

FOCASA

Founded in 2011, FOCASA Circus is Taiwan’s first professional contemporary circus company, dedicated to advancing the art of contemporary circus.  Over the past fifteen years, FOCASA Circus has produced twenty original creations, spanning from family-oriented spectacles to contemporary circus works that merge theatrical and dance vocabularies. The company stages over 100 performances annually, both at home and abroad, and has toured 100 cities across 30 countries. Its presence has been featured on major international stages, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Festival OFF d’Avignon.

JAPAN 

KAAT (Kanagawa Arts Theatre)

KAAT (Kanagawa Arts Theatre) is a leading performing arts venue in Yokohama, Japan, well-known for innovative productions and international collaborations. In 2024, KAAT co-hosted a creation lab with Setouchi Circus Factory and Cie Basinga. It will co-present the work-in-progress performance of DADDA from 5–7 December, 2025.

Kansai Aerial 

Kansai Aerial is a performance group based in a studio in Kyoto that pioneers vertical dance and aerial performance in Japan. Founded by Asami Yasumoto, a

London-trained aerial performer, it offers classes and productions that blend physical expression with gravity-defying movement, fostering a new language of contemporary circus.

Setagaya Public Theatre in Tokyo 

Setagaya Public Theatre actively supports contemporary circus through performances, workshops, and international collaborations. It has presented critically acclaimed works such as Knitting Peace by Sweden’s Cirkus Cirkör and Il n’est pas encore minuit... by France’s Company XY, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and expanding the artistic scope of circus in Japan.

KUMA LABO

A creative hub established by Setouchi Circus Factory and Yamaichi, Woodworks in Marugame, Kagawa. Located inside an active lumber mill, it fosters collaboration between circus artists and local artisans, offering a unique space for site-specific creation, experimentation, and public engagement.

ADDRESSES OF ALL THE VENUES OF THE AGM

• Friche Belle de Mai / Restaurant les Grandes Tables: 41 Rue Jobin, 13003 Marseille​
• Cité des arts de la rue : 225 Av. Ibrahim Ali, 13015 Marseille 
• 3rd venue TBC

RECOMMENDED HOTELS

• Apparthotel Adagio Access Saint-Charles

23 rue Honnorat 13003 MARSEILLE

Booking: H8420@adagio-city.com Tel: (+33) 491075500

​​​Circostrada is certified by the SHIFT Eco-label. In that frame, we are engaged to propose Ecosustainable hotels options to our members that you will find below. 

• Ibis style Marseille Saint Charles 

28 Bd d'Athènes, 13001 Marseille

Price: from 80€ by night

Booking : HA1J8@accor.com  Tel: +33-4-96-21-10-01

• Greet Hotel

4, Allée Léon Gambetta 13001 Marseille
Price : From 74€

Booking: hb675@accor.com  Tel:+33-4-91-95-09-09

• Holiday Inn express ​

15, Boulevard Maurice Bourdet, 13001 Marseille

Price: From 85€

Booking: Email: contact@hiemarseille.com   Tel : 0811 980 002

• Ibis Marseille centre gare

Square Narvik, Esplanade Saint Charles, 13001 Marseille

Price: From 120€

Booking :   H1390@accor.com Tel: tel:+33-4-91-95-62-09

If you are planning to attend the BIAC and enjoy it to the fullest, we recommend booking a room next to the train station, Marseille Saint-Charles.

TRANSPORT

How to get to Marseille?

By train: arrival at the Marseille Saint-Charles train station.

By plane: to the Marseille Provence Airport.

How to get to Marseille city centre from the airport?

Note that to go to La Friche from the airport with public transport you'll have to transitby the train station. 

Option 1: Shuttles

There is a shuttle service with the line L91 between the airport and the Marseille Saint-Charles train station. It is a direct service, via the motorway, and it takes about 25 minutes

The airport bus station is located between terminals T1 and T2.
Departures from Marseille St Charles are on platforms 13 or 14.

Link HERE. One way: 10€ // Return trip: 16€.

First shuttle: leaves Marseille Provence Airport at 4h10, leaves Marseille Saint-Charles train station at 03h30.

Last shuttle: leaves Marseille Provence Airport at 1h30, leaves Marseille Saint-Charles train station at 00h50.

Option 2: Taxi

Reserve your taxi: By telephone: +33 (0)4 42 14 24 44

By internet: https://www.marseille.aeroport.fr/parkings-et-acces/acces/taxis

By email: taxis@taxis-aeroport.com

How to get to La Friche from the train station Marseille St Charles? 

1. On foot, 25 min 
2. Bus 49, stop at Voltaire Saint Charles, get off at Belle de mai then walk 4min ( total: 18 min)
3. Bus 56 , stop Saint Charles, get off at Belle de mai La Friche then walk 4min ( total: 13min)

4. Tram: Line T2 stop at Longchamp / then 10 min walking

SECURITY

We recommend you keep an eye on your belongings while strolling around the city, as robberies are common.

Please find below the programme of the Circostrada Annual General Meeting. 
 

PARTICIPANTS IN THE TAIWAN + JAPAN PROGRAMME

• Alice Brunot - Circostrada Coordination Team
• Coline Etesse - Circostrada Coordination Team
• Joe Mackintosh - Out There Arts
• Dulce Duca
• Clive Lyttle - Certain Blacks
• Elefterios Kechagioglou - Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde
• Isabel Joly - FEDEC
• Aaron Marquise - TOHU
• Sabrina Abiad - circusnext
• Eleonora Ariolfo - Outdoor Arts Italia ETS
• Maggie Clarke - XTRAX

PARTICIPANTS IN THE TAIWAN PROGRAMME ONLY

• Tim Behren - Circusdancefestival
• Asma Manssouri - circusnext

PARTICIPANTS IN THE JAPAN PROGRAMME ONLY

• Rebecca Lee - XTRAX
• Lotta Nevalainen - Circus & Dance Info Finland
• Noa Aubry - circusnext

Download the publication related to this AGM here.

Check out the artistic programme available in the frame of the AGM.

Check out the full artistic programme of the BIAC (January 9-February 9) here.