How many of us wanted to run away with the circus when we were young? Thanks to the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA), it’s now even easier to do just that. NICA has a purpose built circus venue, which is where the two-day Australian Circus Summit will be held. It promises to inspire while redefining the circus as a vital and living component of the performing arts world.
This year’s theme is “The Moving State of Circus.” The idea is to explore novel ways to integrate circus performances into venues and expand artistic horizons. It’s limited to just 200 participants, for anyone from circus artists, producers, festival programmers, to venue owners. The summit is designed to unite the circus community and create networking opportunities.
The keynote speaker on the inaugural day will be Darcy Grant, renowned artistic director of Gravity and Other Myths. He is a founding member of the genre-defying Circa and is globally recognised as a pioneer in this movement.
The closing keynote speaker is Anna Robb, Executive Producer of Our Legacy Creations. She has worked with Cirque du Soleil, Franco Dragone Entertainment Group and the Sydney Opera House. Her talk is titled “A Big Top of an Idea” and explores how even a small idea can transcend into the next big thing.
Other speakers include Thomas Gorham (pictured) of Head First Acrobats, Kate Fell, Artistic Director of Darwin Festival, and Dylan Cole, Head of Venue Planning at Arts Centre Melbourne, with much more.
Over two days, there are sessions on how venues, festivals and producers can assist independent artists, commercial adaptability of performance and putting the fun into fundraising. With almost 20 sessions and breakaways over the two days, there is plenty to learn and networking opportunities.
The Australian Circus Summit promises to be a dynamic and enlightening gathering, bringing together experts and enthusiasts from all corners of the circus world. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this transformative event. Join the leaders and innovators on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 October at NICA for an unforgettable experience that will shape the future of circus arts.
More information and tickets here: https://nica.com.au/summit23
The National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) is Australia’s Centre of Excellence for training in contemporary circus arts. NICA is a member of the Arts8 organisation and is one of Australia’s unique circus education and training centres. Graduates of NICA have gone on to pursue exciting careers both locally and internationally and have contributed to the development of Melbourne’s vibrant circus arts industry.
