Cirkorama

Cirkorama – Contemporary circus association and artistic training center in Zagreb

Cirkorama is a Croatian cultural association founded in 2008 in Zagreb, specializing in the development, transmission, and promotion of contemporary circus arts and street arts. It occupies an important place in the Balkan circus scene thanks to its educational activities, artistic creations, festivals, and numerous international collaborations.

The association develops a circus approach that combines technical training , artistic expression , stage research , and cultural participation . It caters to diverse audiences, from young children and their families to artists wishing to deepen their professional practice.

An association committed to teaching circus arts

Transmission is one of Cirkorama's fundamental missions.

Since its early years of activity, the association has organised workshops, training sessions, research laboratories and advanced training programmes dedicated to the various disciplines of contemporary circus.

Its permanent program, launched in 2010 under the name " Program Cirkorame ", was designed to promote the development of circus practices in Croatia and neighboring countries.

The goal is to allow new audiences to discover circus arts while offering already experienced artists opportunities for training and experimentation.

The teaching is based on a multidisciplinary approach in which circus techniques are combined with movement, creativity and teamwork.

Juggling, acrobatics, balance and aerial disciplines

Cirkorama offers an exploration of many technical families of the circus.

Juggling and object manipulation allow participants to develop their coordination, concentration, and creativity. Exercises may involve various props, with particular attention paid to rhythm, precision of movement, and exploration of movement.

Floor acrobatics is another component of the teaching. It allows students to work on support, movement, mobility and body control in space.

Acrobalance , or partner acrobatics, introduces working in pairs or groups. Participants learn to build balance positions and cooperate to perform collective figures.

Balance disciplines include tightrope walking and the manipulation of balancing objects. They promote stability, concentration, and the gradual management of difficulty.

Aerial techniques are also featured in the association's workshops, particularly through acrobatics on suspended fabric.

The diversity of these practices allows us to approach the circus as a set of complementary techniques rather than as a single sporting discipline.

Circus workshops for children and families

One of Cirkorama's most characteristic educational programs is " Cirkus u obitelji ", which can be translated as "The Circus as a Family".

This activity offers children and their parents the opportunity to discover different circus techniques together.

The workshops welcome children aged four to nine , accompanied by an adult.

Through games, movement exercises and group challenges, families experience ground acrobatics, acrobalancing, tightrope walking, juggling, balancing and aerial silk movements.

The teaching approach places essential importance on trust , communication and cooperation between participants.

Children are encouraged to discover their abilities, take initiative, and gradually overcome their apprehensions. Parents participate directly in the exercises, creating a shared artistic and physical experience.

The program is inspired in particular by teaching methods developed by the Turbul Circus School in France, with which Cirkorama has a long-standing collaboration.

In 2026, several editions of these workshops were organized in Zagreb, notably in February, April, May and September.

A team of experienced educators

Cirkorama's family workshops are notably supervised by Jadranka Žinić Mijatović and Nikola Mijatović .

Both are identified as educators specializing in circus arts and participate in the transmission of circus techniques to different audiences.

Jadranka Žinić Mijatović is also involved in the coordination of artistic projects, international cooperation and the development of the association's programs.

Their approach favours a progressive and collective approach to learning, in which exercises are adapted to the age and abilities of the participants.

Cirkorama also uses external artists and speakers for specialized workshops and laboratories.

Artistic research and development laboratories

Cirkorama does not limit its activities to initiating children.

The association also develops training and research programs for artists, young creators and performing arts professionals.

The " Laboratorij cirkuske umjetnosti ", or Circus Arts Laboratory, constitutes one of the historical training mechanisms of the structure.

It allows for the hosting of artists and educators specializing in different techniques in order to promote the transmission of knowledge and artistic experimentation.

Participants can deepen their technical mastery, explore new approaches to movement and reflect on the place of circus in contemporary creation.

Activities include practical training, meetings, group training sessions and research projects.

This approach helps to support the professional development of circus artists, in a sector where opportunities for structured training remain relatively limited.

CirkoBalkana: an international festival and educational platform

Cirkorama is also a co-organizer of the CirkoBalkana international festival, created in 2013 in partnership with the Serbian association Cirkusfera .

The festival takes place mainly in Zagreb and Belgrade and constitutes a meeting platform for artists, companies, educators and audiences from different countries.

Its programming combines contemporary circus performances, technical workshops, professional meetings, project presentations and cultural activities.

CirkoBalkana contributes to the circulation of artists and the development of circus practices in the Balkans.

The festival also allows participants to discover diverse disciplines and educational approaches through the involvement of international artists.

In September 2026, the fourteenth edition held in Belgrade notably offered workshops in aerial hoop, juggling associated with movement, dance acrobatics and aerial research on cloudswing.

These workshops are part of CirkoBalkana's joint programming. They should not all be considered as regular courses taught directly by Cirkorama in Zagreb.

A tent dedicated to creation and transmission

With Cirkusfera, Cirkorama has a circus tent used as a travelling space for training, creation and performance.

In Zagreb, this marquee is notably installed in the courtyard of the Pogon Jedinstvo cultural center, at Trnjanska struga 34.

It hosts shows, artistic residencies, meetings and educational workshops.

This venue allows us to offer activities in an environment directly linked to the world of the circus, while promoting exchanges between artists and audiences.

Cirkorama activities can also be organized in the halls of the Pogon Jedinstvo cultural center or in other partner spaces.

The association should therefore not be presented as a school necessarily having only one permanent classroom.

An activity involving the creation and production of shows

Alongside its educational work, Cirkorama participates in the production , co-production and distribution of contemporary circus shows.

The association supports artists and collectives who explore the relationships between acrobatics, theatre, movement, music and visual arts.

She also develops street performance projects and artistic forms aimed at diverse audiences.

This creative activity helps to connect training to the reality of live performance.

Artists associated with Cirkorama can thus participate in collective projects, residencies and professional meetings, in an environment that promotes research and experimentation.

Significant European cooperation

Cirkorama maintains numerous collaborations with European cultural and circus organizations.

The association participates in particular in the Circostrada and circusnext networks, which contribute to the development and recognition of contemporary circus.

She also collaborates with Croatian and international organizations on training projects, artistic residencies and dissemination.

These exchanges promote the circulation of knowledge, the improvement of artists and the creation of new collaborations.

Cirkorama also participates in initiatives aimed at improving working conditions and institutional recognition of circus artists in Croatia and the region.

An active structure in 2026

Cirkorama's educational activity is confirmed in 2026 by several workshops of the " Cirkus u obitelji " program.

Sessions have been announced in particular for February 22 , April 12 , April 26 , May 9 and September 10 and 11, 2026 in Zagreb.

These workshops allowed children and their parents to discover several circus disciplines under the guidance of specialized educators.

The association also continued its activities in creation and international cooperation, particularly within the framework of CirkoBalkana.

These elements confirm the continuity of its activity, even though a permanent weekly program open to all audiences has not been verified for October 2026.

A benchmark for contemporary circus in Croatia

Cirkorama occupies a special place in the development of circus arts in Croatia.

Its activities combine amateur initiation , educational transmission , artistic development , creation of shows and international cooperation .

Through its workshops for families, its artistic laboratories, its big top and its European projects, it helps to make contemporary circus accessible to different audiences.

The association thus represents an important structure for people wishing to discover circus disciplines, participate in group workshops or deepen their artistic practice.

Cirkorama can be classified among amateur circus and artistic training organizations, with a complementary activity of professional creation and distribution.