Go back ARTISTS OF THE RĪGAS CIRKS AUTUMN RESIDENCY PROGRAMME 2025 ANNOUNCED
19.09.2025.
Following the open call for Baltic artists to apply for the residency programme, four artists/collectives have been selected to develop and explore their ideas within the Rīgas cirks Residency programme in October and November 2025:
29/09 – 16/10 Eduard Halias (LV)
17/10 – 03/11 Mariano Gedwillo (LV) with the project Muskuy – Dreams
04 – 17/11 Gabrielė Penčylaitė & Aistė Rekašiūtė (LT) with the project Zero
18 – 30/11 Accompany ME (Monika Neverauskaite – LT) with the project The Onion Technique
ABOUT THE PROGRAMM
The Rīgas cirks Residency Program is created as a laboratory for new forms of artistic research and art practices within the circus field. Our main mission is to promote contemporary artistic practices, mainly focusing on circus development in Latvia and the Baltic region. During the residency, artists are expected to work on ideas for new performances.
The residency will take place in the premises of Riga Circus School – Zeļļu Street 25, Riga.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Eduard Halias
A sports acrobat and circus artist whose brilliant career was interrupted by an injury – has been searching for a way back to the stage for several years. This journey has not been simple: obstacles include the after-effects of his trauma, the awareness of age, a long break from active stage life, and the fact that his former discipline (Russian bar) is no longer practised in today’s circus environment. Yet, through repeated attempts, mistakes, and new discoveries, he is step by step shaping his comeback story.
The residency at Rīgas cirks will mark the first stage of this creative journey. It will serve as a space where the artist will explore the dramaturgical lines and structure of a new performance, while at the same time practising various acrobatic techniques (mini-trampoline, airtrack, partner acrobatics, springboard, handstand).
Mariano Gedwillo
Better known by his stage name Cronopio, is a clown, director, tightrope walker and juggler. He began his artistic path in 1997, performing in Argentina and other South American countries, and since 2022 he has been living and working in Riga.
Mariano’s search for a true and authentic Clown character is rooted in real life, and he is particularly interested in interacting with a wide range of audiences – rich and poor, young and old, serious and funny, engaged and sceptical.
His latest project stems from the idea of exploring dreams in all their forms and playing with elements of surrealism and the illusions they create. The performance will combine clowning, music, dance, and theatrical lighting effects.
Bouffon Gabrielė Penčylaitė and director Aistė Rekašiūtė
The creative journey of actress, bouffon Gabrielė Penčylaitė and director Aistė Rekašiūtė began with the idea and sketch for the solo bouffon performance Zero. The sketch was created at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre while Gabrielė was completing her Master’s studies in acting.
During the residency, the artists plan to further develop this work into a full performance.
At the heart of the performance lies the human relationship with faith. Through bouffon’s mocking, grotesque, and at the same time painfully precise reflection of society, the artists will attempt to reveal its flaws, egoism, and distortions of belief.
Monika Neverauskaite
Lithuanian contemporary circus artist whose main discipline is the Cyr wheel. In 2015 she earned her bachelor’s degree at Codarts University in Rotterdam (Netherlands), later completing her studies at the Lido Circus School in Toulouse, France, in 2017. In 2022 she co-founded the Cyr wheel duo Accompany ME together with Elena Damasio.
At Rīgas cirks, Monika will work on her solo project The Onion Technique, which focuses on issues of psychological health.
ADHD, PTSD, OCD, bipolar disorder, anxiety – these are just some of the conditions that can affect the human mind. Sometimes they cause only minor discomfort and remain invisible, while at other times their symptoms can severely disrupt daily life. Through this project, the artist aims to illustrate metaphorically the invisible burden that many people carry and suffer from every day.
