CIRCLE 2026 – FEDEC at the Circa 2026 Festival in Auch

From 19 to 23 october 2026

From October 19 to 23, 2026, the city of Auch, in the Gers region, will host a new edition of CIRCLE, the international event organized by FEDEC (European Federation of Professional Circus Schools) as part of the prestigious Circa Festival. A true laboratory for emerging circus artists, CIRCLE brings together circus arts students from across Europe and beyond to present their creations, share their practices, and meet the professionals shaping contemporary circus.

Each year, CIRCLE is one of the highlights of the Circa Festival and offers exceptional visibility to emerging artists from leading professional schools. For five days, participants enjoy an immersive experience combining public performances, collaborative workshops, professional meetings, and exchanges with the public.

The 2026 edition revolves around the theme:

"Where is the limit?"

This reflection is inspired by the European project Take Care (2024-2027), dedicated to mental health and well-being in the circus arts sector. The performances presented thus explore notions of physical, emotional, social, or artistic limits through contemporary circus writing.

The week begins on Monday, October 19th with a welcome meeting allowing students from different countries to get to know each other and discover how the event will unfold.

On Tuesday, October 20th, a CIRCLE workshop will be held in the morning, followed by a shared lunch. This day will foster exchanges between students, the sharing of artistic practices, and the development of international collaborations.

Starting Wednesday, October 21, the performances begin. Six 30-minute shows are offered, with two new productions each day. Each show is presented only once, offering festival-goers a unique program.

At the end of each performance, an Aftershow allows the artists to engage in dialogue with the public, to discuss their creative processes and to share their experiences around the challenges of contemporary circus.

The schools selected to represent this edition are:

AFUK (Denmark)
Bordeaux Circus School (France)
CRÉAT, Carampa & ENCC (Spain / France)
Seneca Intensiv (Germany)
Turku Arts Academy (Finland)
Accademia Cirko Vertigo (Italy)
Program

Monday, October 19

5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: CIRCLE Welcome Meeting

Tuesday, October 20

9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: CIRCLE workshop
Group lunch

Wednesday, October 21

12:00 PM: Seneca Intensiv (Germany)
6:00 p.m.: Accademia Cirko Vertigo (Italy)

Thursday, October 22

12:00 p.m.: Turku Arts Academy (Finland)
6:00 p.m.: CRÉAT / Carampa / ENCC (Spain – France)

Friday, October 23

12:00 PM: AFUK (Denmark)
6:00 PM: Bordeaux Circus School (France)

Throughout the week, participants also enjoy the program of the Circa Festival, considered one of the most important European festivals dedicated to contemporary circus. This immersion fosters the discovery of new artistic forms, encounters with the featured companies, and the development of an international professional network.

For several years, CIRCLE has established itself as an essential platform for emerging European circus artists. It allows artists in training to present their work to an international audience, to meet programmers, teachers, companies and professionals in the sector, while enjoying a particularly enriching human and artistic experience.

The event is supported by FEDEC, an international network bringing together the main professional schools of circus arts, with the support of the European Union, in partnership with CIRCa – National Circus Centre and the Circa Festival.

• Site de la FEDEC
• Page CIRCLE 2026
• Festival Circa

Circle 2026