Go back Riga Circus School to implement a social circus project for children
Riga Circus is launching a new project in which circus arts will serve as a unifying platform for children from families who have arrived in Latvia from other countries, giving their personal stories and experiences the opportunity to become visible and heard within the wider society.
The project “Social Circus for the Integration of Children of Third-Country Nationals”, implemented from April 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, aims to support the inclusion of children from third countries and their families into Latvian society through social circus practice.
“Circus arts offer a unique environment where integration happens through experience, not only through language. It creates a space where children from different cultures can meet as equals, build trust, collaborate, and express themselves. Unlike traditional education, circus does not emphasise shortcomings but reveals each individual’s potential, making it a particularly effective tool for building an inclusive society. In Riga Circus’ strategy for the next five years, we have set this socially integrative aspect as a priority. We aim to become the most accessible cultural space in Latvia, opening our doors to people who, due to various (social, economic, or prejudice-related) barriers, have not previously encountered circus arts, and showing that they can be not only passive observers but also active participants. We hope that children and young people, as well as their parents, will be able to carry this experience from the circus into their everyday lives and society as a whole,” explains Māra Pāvula, Director of Riga Circus.
During the project, 25 children aged 7 to 14 from third-country backgrounds will join Riga Circus School classes and, together with their peers, trainers, and professional artists, will take part in a collaborative creative process. The project will culminate in the creation of a circus performance, which will be presented to a wider audience in September 2027.
Social circus is an approach in which circus disciplines are used as a tool for personal development and strengthening social skills, especially when working with children, young people, or other groups in need of additional support, providing a safe environment and promoting well-being. It combines a creative, physical, and co-creative process in which not only the artistic outcome is important, but also the development of participants’ self-confidence, sense of belonging, and collaboration skills. It is also an important intercultural tool that helps bring different communities together, strengthen relationships, and create new social connections.
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Project PMIF/13.3./2025/1/08 “Social Circus for the Integration of Children of Third-Country Nationals” is co-financed by the European Union and will be implemented from April 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. The total eligible project budget is EUR 99,023.39, of which EUR 74,267.54 is funded by the European Union Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, and EUR 24,755.85 is co-financed by the state budget.
