Thrown Together 2026 – London Juggling and Flow Arts Festival

From 23 to 25 october 2026

Thrown Together 2026 is the inaugural edition of London's Juggling & Flow Arts Festival, a new event dedicated to contemporary juggling, flow arts, and object circus, aiming to become a must-see event in the UK. Running from October 23-25, 2026, the festival is entirely volunteer-run and operates as a non-profit organization. Born from a desire to bring together the diverse communities of London jugglers and flow artists, it is the result of a collaboration between Catchers in the Rye, Spinning@, the National Centre for Circus Arts, Jacksons Lane, Oddballs, East London Circus Hub, UCL Balls!, AND Circus, and numerous enthusiasts who wish to create an open, welcoming, and sustainable event. This first edition marks the official launch of the project, while the organizers are already working on an even more ambitious 2027 edition.

The festival revolves around two iconic London venues, each offering complementary programs. On one side, the Jacksons Lane Theatre, renowned for its international contemporary circus programming, hosts the weekend's professional shows. On the other, the National Centre for Circus Arts, one of the UK's leading circus schools, becomes the vibrant heart of the convention for two days, with its large training spaces, studios, workshops, conferences, exhibitions, demonstrations, open stages, and numerous opportunities for interaction among participants.

The goal of Thrown Together is to bring together all object manipulation enthusiasts under one roof. While juggling primarily involves throwing and catching objects, Flow Arts explore the intersection of object manipulation, dance, body movement, and artistic expression. The festival celebrates all disciplines: balls, clubs, rings, diabolo, devil sticks, contact juggling, antipodism, hula hoops, fans, poi, staffs, object manipulation, microjuggling, waving, and all forms of movement research.

On Friday evening, the festival opens at Jacksons Lane with OMÂ, presented as a British premiere by Cie Bolbol and artist Roxana Küwen Arsalan. This performance showcases a sensitive approach to antipodism and the manipulation of objects with the feet, blending technical virtuosity, visual poetry, and choreographic exploration. It is the only British performance of this international creation during the festival.

On Saturday evening, Jacksons Lane then hosts a double bill featuring Dear Gregor and No News, performed by ON & Silent Shout, with Liam Wilson and Rocío Pez. The two artists present a contemporary take on juggling where minimal manipulation, movement, rhythm, and physical expression are as important as pure technique. These creations are also among the festival's highlights and offer British audiences the opportunity to discover works rarely seen in the country.

On Sunday afternoon, renowned British juggler Steve Rawlings, a world-renowned figure in comic juggling and creator of the Facebook group Juggling for a Living, takes to the stage for a show during which he also presents Joseph Birch, voted British Young Juggler of the Year 2026. This encounter allows the public to discover the new generation of British jugglers alongside a historical figure in the discipline.

Throughout the convention held at the National Centre for Circus Arts, participants enjoy a particularly rich program spread across two large training halls and several studios, allowing for simultaneous workshops, lectures, performances, and open practice areas. Performances at this venue are included in the convention ticket, unlike those at Jacksons Lane, which require a separate ticket.

Saturday morning begins with Turbula, a creation by Cie Après Coup performed by Cécile Poncet, also presented as a British premiere. This show, suitable for all audiences and recommended for ages 7 and up, officially opens the convention's artistic program.

In the afternoon, Roxana Küwen Arsalan leads a workshop on Foot Juggling and antipodism. Participants will discover the basics of this spectacular discipline, which involves manipulating various objects with the feet. Balls, clubs, hoops, or any other props can be used during this workshop, which is suitable for both beginners and those looking to refine their skills under the guidance of an artist who graduated from the Fontys Academy for Circus and Performance Art in the Netherlands.

The day continues with Up Rising, an open stage for those under 18. Coordinated by Ed Stephen, it showcases young artists from the London Youth Circus and the Centre for Advanced Training, while also giving other young performers the opportunity to present an act for the first time in front of a supportive audience. Organizers also invite young artists from outside the region to submit their work, whether it's a first attempt or a fully developed act.

Sunday begins with a Microjuggling workshop led by ON. Through various explorations, participants discover an approach to juggling based on quick, precise, and small movements. Far from traditional large throws, this workshop develops a new way of thinking about object manipulation, emphasizing finesse, control, and micro-movements.

In parallel, Steve Rawlings participates in a meeting moderated by Ben Cornish. This conference takes the form of a question and answer session during which the public can freely exchange with the artist on his international career, German variety shows, cruises, the construction of a comedy act, the professional life of a juggler or the most memorable anecdotes from several decades on stage.

Late in the morning, Liam Wilson offers a workshop dedicated to Minimal Juggling. Open to all levels and artistic backgrounds, it explores minimalism applied to juggling. The goal is not to accumulate technical difficulties but to understand how to enrich expression, movement, improvisation, and creation with a limited number of objects and gestures. Participants work on creativity, playfulness, sequence composition, and the possibilities offered by a minimalist approach to the discipline.

In the afternoon, Rocío Pez leads a workshop entirely dedicated to Waving. Accessible to both dancers and jugglers, it begins with work on the fundamentals of movement flow throughout the body before exploring the concept of the invisible object, borrowed from contemporary mime. The exercises allow participants to develop fluidity, movement textures, gestural precision, artistic intention, and personal expression through guided phases and moments of improvisation.

The convention also features an Open Stage, open to amateur and professional artists wishing to present an act, an excerpt from a show, or a work in progress to an attentive and supportive audience. Without complex stage lighting, this stage encourages experimentation, debut performances, and exchanges between artists.

Throughout the weekend, visitors have access to large open practice areas where they can practice, learn new tricks, exchange knowledge, test equipment, meet other enthusiasts from the UK and many European countries, improvise group sessions, or simply share a coffee in a friendly atmosphere. The event places particular emphasis on skills sharing, mutual support, and networking between juggling and Flow Artist communities.

The festival also hosts several specialist stands, including the renowned British store Oddballs, as well as other retailers of juggling and Flow Arts equipment. The organizers also invite artisans, manufacturers, and associations wishing to exhibit or have a stand to contact them to participate in this inaugural edition.

An exceptional historical exhibition traces the evolution of juggling from the 19th century to the present day. Visitors can discover antique juggling clubs made by Edward van Wyck, considered the first specialist manufacturer, Victorian fire swinging torches, the cigar case of the famous Paul Cinquevalli, promotional materials signed by Enrico Rastelli, as well as a significant collection of posters covering several generations of jugglers, from Maxini & Beate, the first famous juggling duo, to Bubu the Ape, King Repp, Dr Hot & Neon or Gandini Juggling, offering a true journey through the history of the art of juggling.

The event relies entirely on volunteer involvement. Organizers invite participants to propose workshops, help with organization, join the welcoming team, or contribute to the development of future editions. To ensure the financial viability of this first year, visitors can choose Hero Tickets, offered at a premium price to directly support the festival. A fundraising campaign also helps finance Thrown Together 2027, notably by helping to book larger venues, host more international artists, fund their travel and accommodation, support the creation of new British works, and strengthen future grant applications. London residents can also offer a room to host guest artists during the festival.

Conceived as an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming event, Thrown Together 2026 caters to everyone from curious beginners to experienced jugglers, professional artists, teachers, circus school students, Flow Artists, families, and anyone simply eager to discover the richness of contemporary object manipulation. Through its blend of international performances, workshops, practice spaces, juggling history, and opportunities for human connection, this inaugural edition lays the foundation for a major new event on the European juggling and Flow Arts scene.

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