circusnext is a European circus label: the creators selected by a European jury stand out for their singularity and creativity. Their art works question us, jostle us, enchant us, move us.

circusnext is also the “Europe of circus”: a platform of about thirty partners from 17 countries who gather around founding values – the identification of unique talents, support to emergence and creation, European cooperation.

circusnext thus proposes a European program of support for creation and diffusion to emerging contemporary circus authors identified for their singular writings.

• 9 cycles of identification and support for emerging authors since 2001
• more than 85 emerging companies identified (more than 700 authors of more than 30 nationalities) since 2001
• between 120 and 150 applications from all over Europe during each call for projects
• forty or so creation residencies hosted each year in some fifteen European countries
• public presentations of the laureate creators at Théâtre de la Cité internationale in Paris gathering between 150 and 200 international professionals for each edition
• 60 or so touring dates (works-in-progress and finalized shows) each year in some 20 international countries
• thirty or so partners (creation and touring venues, festivals, etc.) from 17 European countries
• international professional and artistic exchanges (Mediterranean area, Brazil, Madagascar, Japan, Israel, Korea, Taiwan, Quebec …)
• a territorial anchorage in Paris and its region (Île-de-France)

Born out of the fact that emerging artists and companies have real difficulties in their creative process, the circusnext project aims at identifying these new creators and encouraging the emergence of new writings in the field of circus arts. Considered to be one of the most important support programs for emerging authors and creators in this sector, circusnext asserts its goal of supporting and assisting artistic creation and the circulation of artists.

Over the years, circusnext has become an essential program for the development of contemporary circus and the recognition of circus as an art in its own right. The supported artists distinguish themselves by the richness and originality of their aesthetic approaches, as well as their appetite to experiment.

From JTC to circusnext

In 2001-2002, on the occasion of the “year of circus arts“, the Jeunes Talents Cirque program is created by the French Ministry of Culture: this innovating and concrete project aims at identifying young contemporary circus artists, and at supporting their emergence through a grant and residencies. This first edition was a success: in October 2002, thirteen young companies presented their creation projects at Théâtre de la Cité internationale (Paris, France). Among them were Camille Boitel, Baro d’evel cirk cie, company 14:20, or Ludor Citrik, now leaders of the French circus arts scene; all of them benefited from Jeunes Talents Cirque’s support to create their shows in good conditions and make a name for themselves.

This support program was renewed by cycles of 2 years, and extended to other European countries. In 2007, the project becomes Jeunes Talents Cirque Europe and implements a network of European partners. In 2009-2010, the first officially European edition was carried out: it will be named circusnext from 2012-2013 on.

A few examples of selected and supported artists who have marked our field:

Camille Boitel, compagnie 14:20, Baro d’Evel, Ludor Citrik, Les Objets volants, Adrien Mondot, le collectif Petit Travers, Roman Müller, Joao Paolo do Santos, le GdRA, Un Loup pour l’homme, Iéto, Defracto, Ivan Mosjoukine, Race Horse Company, Subliminati Corporation, Oktobre, Sisters, Marion Collé, Alexander Vantournhout, etc.

Co-funded by the European Union, circusnext is the opportunity to build a sustainable infrastructure for the development of new contemporary writings and the professionalization of emerging creators over a wide area. Extensive network, circusnext also offers a meeting place with all the actors of the sector, invited to play the role of active observers: professionals of the performing arts field (artists, creation centers, production structures, touring venues), media, public institutions, private and public partners.

circusnext is a French non-profit association based in Paris from where it conceives and pilots the European projects circusnext platform and circusnext+. Anchored in Paris and its region, the association receives the support of the Ministry of Culture, the City of Paris, the Île-de-France region and the French Institute.