Escola de Circo do Chapitô – EPAOE – Lisboa

Escola de Circo do Chapitô is a professional circus and performing arts school located in the heart of Lisbon.

It belongs to Chapitô , a historical cultural, educational and social project founded by Teresa Ricou .

The origins of the school go back to the Escola de Circo Mariano Franco , created in the Bairro Alto .

The project has gradually developed by combining artistic training and social intervention from its beginnings.

In 1986 , Chapitô settled permanently in Costa do Castelo .

The place gradually becomes a true home dedicated to the circus , performing arts, education and social action.

From 1987-1988 , a first training program dedicated to circus expression made it possible to train a generation of professionals who then joined the artistic sector.

In 1990-1991 the Escola Profissional de Artes e Ofícios do Espetáculo was created, today known by the acronym EPAOE.

Professional training

The school notably offers the Curso Profissional de Interpretação e Animação Circenses .

This professional training program is dedicated to contemporary circus , performance, and the performing arts.

The curriculum combines artistic , technical , scientific and socio-cultural training.

Students develop a multidisciplinary practice of circus arts.

The circus is thus viewed as a complete form of stage expression and not solely as a succession of technical performances.

Professional experience and certification

The training program places significant emphasis on professional experience .

Students undertake work placements with companies, artistic structures, workshops and cultural partners.

They also participate in shows , cultural events and artistic projects during their studies.

In their final year, students develop and publicly present their own final training project .

This experience allows students to combine the technical, artistic, and creative skills acquired during their studies.

The training leads to dual certification .

• Students obtain the equivalent of the Portuguese secondary school leaving diploma, on the 12th year .
• They also obtain a level 4 professional certification .

This dual recognition allows students to pursue further studies while also obtaining a professional qualification in the performing arts.

International openness

The school also develops a significant international focus .

She participates in particular in the Erasmus+ program.

Students can thus gain professional experience and participate in mobility programs with European companies, theatres and artistic organizations.

Chapitô has long maintained relations with European and international networks dedicated to circus training.

The school notably participated in the birth of the European circus school movement which led to the development of FEDEC.

This international dimension facilitates educational exchanges and student mobility .

Social action

However, Le Chapitô is not limited to its vocational school.

Social action is one of the historical pillars of the project.

Since its inception, the association has used circus arts, performance and arts education as tools for inclusion and social transformation .

A significant part of this work is dedicated to children and young people in vulnerable situations .

For several decades, Le Chapitô has been developing interventions with young people under guardianship or facing a risk of exclusion.

This socio-educational action was notably built in partnership with the Portuguese justice institutions .

The circus then becomes a way to work on confidence , autonomy , expression , responsibility and the construction of a personal project .

The project also develops community actions targeting different audiences.

Inclusive education and education through the arts are among the fundamental objectives of Chapitô.

Intergenerational work and actions with senior citizens complement this approach.

Vocational training and social action are therefore not two independent activities.

They belong to the same conception of the circus as an artistic, educational and civic tool .

Cultural and professional activity

Chapitô also develops a significant cultural and professional activity .

The venue hosts creations , shows and artists .

A professional company extends the artistic research work developed within the project.

Students thus develop in an environment directly connected to the professional world of live entertainment .

They meet working artists and participate in public projects.

This close connection with the professional sector is an important dimension of the training.

Le Chapitô also develops links with theatre , dance , street arts , scenography and the various technical professions of the performing arts.

Alongside the circus arts curriculum, EPAOE offers professional training dedicated to scenography , costumes and accessories .

The different specialties can thus meet within the framework of joint projects .

This cross-disciplinary approach allows future artists to better understand the entire process of creating a show.

A unique and historic project

The Escola de Circo do Chapitô is today one of the historical structures for professional circus training in Portugal.

Its identity is based on the convergence of professional training , artistic creation , stage experience , international openness and social intervention .

Located in an iconic location overlooking the historic center of Lisbon, it pursues an approach developed over several decades around a central conviction: circus arts can be both a profession , an artistic language and a powerful tool for education and social inclusion .