This October 8–10, step into the future of circus at the 2025 Australian Circus Summit: three extraordinary days of conversation, collaboration, and connection, hosted at the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA)’s purpose-built training centre in Melbourne/Naarm.
This global gathering invites artists, producers, presenters, academics, students, and sector leaders to explore the theme Out of Lines — an invitation to challenge assumptions, cross disciplines, and spark bold new thinking about the future of circus.
The Summit opens in partnership with CALS (Circus Arts and Life Sciences), a leading international research initiative that sits at the intersection of circus, movement science, and wellbeing. Together, we’ll unpack how evidence-informed approaches are reshaping training, pedagogy, and artist support. The CALS-led day will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, and practice-led provocations around topics such as:
- The role of creativity in physical performance and recovery
- Dramaturgy, costume design and symbolism in contemporary circus
- Coaching language, communication, and the psychology of training
- Mental health and perfectionism in circus cultures
- The resurgence of animal metaphors in performance and storytelling
Across the full three-day program, expect a rich blend of panels, forums, keynote provocations, and pop-up performances, designed to break down industry silos and foster real-world partnerships. Topics will include:
- Reimagining circus touring as ecological and reciprocal
- Advocacy for circus in education and funding policy
- Insurance, access, and the economics of being an artist today
- Parenting in performance careers
- The cultural future of youth and regional circus
This is an intimate, fully-catered event that places meaningful dialogue at its core, with opportunities to share space, stretch together (literally and metaphorically), and connect with colleagues from across Australia and around the world.
Join us as we stretch the limits of what circus is… and what it could become.
Explore the program: nica.com.au/summit25
Early-bird tickets now available: TryBooking link
For more information click here
