OPEN WORKSHOPS | CIRCUS EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2026

Roots & Routes | Saknes un trajektorijas | Circus Education Conference 2026

Riga Circus will host the 3rd Riga International Circus Education Conference from April 15 to 17, 2026, within the framework of the FEDEC Spring Talks of the international network for professional circus education. The conference aims to bring together a wide range of performing arts professionals from Europe and the Baltic region — including representatives of formal and non-formal education, artists, curators, producers, and policymakers in education and cultural education, including from Latvia.

The programme on April 17 is open to all interested participants.

This workshop offers a focused look at how mental health can be intentionally supported within circus education. It draws on the Codarts Student Life programme, current research, and practical experience from sports and performance psychology to highlight the psychological demands students face and the skills they need to navigate them. Jorrit will introduce accessible mental tools that help students regulate stress, respond to setbacks, and build sustainable habits. The workshop will also explore how mental-health literacy, structured support, and everyday choices can strengthen student well-being and long-term artistic development.

Jorrit Terpstra is a performance psychologist and member of the Student Life team at Codarts (NL). With a calm, open, and honest approach, he supports artists in navigating the thoughts and emotions that shape their performance — whether in auditions, rehearsals, or on stage. His work focuses on practical mental tools, mindset development, and building confidence, especially in moments of setback, pressure, or injury.

How can we bring our best selves into collaboration, take responsibility, and embrace vulnerability as a form of strength? This workshop explores awareness of both your own and others’ capacities for cooperation, creates space for difficult conversations, and welcomes fear as a guide rather than an obstacle. Train yourself in the joy of sharing!

Daniel Gulko is an author, teacher, director, choreographer, and clown, as well as the artistic director of the France-based radical circus company Cahin-Caha. Internationally recognised for his interdisciplinary approach, his work brings together circus, dance, theatre, visual arts, video, and literature. He has taught and led artistic research at numerous institutions across Europe, including Stockholm University of the Arts, CNAC, Codarts, and JAMU, and has directed a wide range of acclaimed productions internationally. Based in France since 1993, Gulko continues to create, tour, and mentor across the fields of experimental circus and contemporary performance.

This workshop invites participants to explore their own circus environment through the lens of Applied Circus Creativity. Participants will be guided through questions and discussions that help them identify areas in their own work which support or hinder creativity outcomes for circus students and staff.

Dr. Alisan Funk has been a circus student, practitioner, creator, performer, teacher, teacher educator, and researcher. She is currently an assistant professor of circus and head of the Circus Department at the Stockholm University of the Arts. Her work and research focus on the intersections of circus, creativity, and curriculum theory. Since 2020, she has been a member of the managing board of the International Network for Professional Circus Education (FEDEC).

World Café “Alternative Pathways in Education” is an interactive discussion format in which participants rotate between tables hosted by conversation leaders, each presenting a different case study. In an open and informal setting, attendees will explore examples related to circus education and professional development: sustainable artistic careers, circus as a tool for social change, a case study on Esacto’Lido in Toulouse, and a case study on Copenhagen Contemporary Circus College (CCCC).

• What do circus artists need to turn their creative ideas into sustainable careers?
  In this conversation led by Dan le Man, participants will explore how emerging circus artists develop their creative voice, pitch their work, build networks, and transition from graduation projects to real touring acts.
  Dan le Man is an Australian-born circus and physical theatre artist with more than 20 years of international touring experience, and director of the Tallinn Fringe Festival.

• How can contemporary circus create opportunity and social change?
  In this presentation, Marietou Thiam shares the story of SenCirk in Dakar — a pioneering contemporary circus company and training school that uses circus as a tool for social and professional integration.
  Marietou Thiam is a Senegalese circus artist, cultural leader, and founder of the SenCirk Festival.

• Case study: Copenhagen Contemporary Circus College (CCCC)
  Copenhagen Contemporary Circus College is a new three-year higher education programme in Denmark, combining technical and artistic skills with reflection, initiative, and collaboration, while also developing as an international platform for artistic exchange.
  Anne Mette Nørskov – Head of Education at CCCC
  Søren Flor – Facilitator and Pedagogical Lead