The magic of the big top is undeniable, but what does it really take to create, produce, and tour under one?

In this episode of Crossing Voices, we explore the unique challenges and opportunities of staging performances in temporary circus tents.

To set the stage, Déborah Boeno, co-author of The Big Top Guide with Axel Satgé, as well as of a case study through the prism of eco-responsibility on the BIAC festival, introduces us to the fascinating world of big tops, where artistry meets logistical complexity.

Host Maaike Muis then brings together Julien Auger from Circus I Love You and Luke Hallgarten from the British company Revel Puck to discuss the intricate balance between tradition and innovation in contemporary circus. From financial and administrative hurdles to the raw realities of self-producing, they share honest insights and practical advice on what it takes to bring contemporary circus to life under canvas. At the end of this episode, you might also discover why it is better to not own cows...

Crossing Voices – Linking European and international perspectives in contemporary circus and outdoor arts is designed to highlight the voices of key players in these sectors. This podcast is part of the red thread followed by Circostrada’s new project, CS Voices, fostering ongoing dialogue on pressing issues and inspiring meaningful change in the arts and policymaking for a more inclusive and sustainable cultural landscape.

Production: Circostrada – Kinga Kecskes & Maaike Muis

Music: Blue Dot Sessions / Mixing-mastering Marius Kooy

More info & resources: circostrada.org

Art is a powerful tool for change, and this first episode of Crossing Voices explores just that. For its first episode ever, host Maaike Muis brings together Sergi Estebanel from Spain and South African artist-activist Tandile Mbathsa to discuss how art and activism intersect. Listen to Sergi speaking about transforming public spaces through rituals, while Tandile highlights the daily struggles of being Black, queer, and gender non-conforming in South Africa, using performance as a vessel for social change.

Crossing Voices – Linking European and international perspectives in contemporary circus and outdoor arts is designed to highlight the voices of key players in the contemporary circus and outdoor arts sectors. This podcast is part of the read-thread followed by Circostrada's new project, CS Voices. The podcast aims to foster a continuous dialogue on current issues, bringing together diverse perspectives to inspire meaningful change in both the arts and policymaking, thereby contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable cultural landscape.

Production: Circostrada- Kinga Kecskes & Maaike Muis

Music: Blue dot sessions

more info and resources check: circostrada.org

Next episode January 2025. Follow and subscribe to be the first to hear it.

What does SUSTAINABILITY mean in the Circus and Outdoor Arts sector? How do organisations like La Villette and Espace Périphérique apply it in their daily practice? This is AROUND FRESH 2023. A podcast series of seven episodes leading up to the FRESH 2023 event. Maaike Muis, host of this podcast serie, talks with Rémy Boris and Marie Chapoullié from 2R2C on SUSTAINABILITY. They will be host of the 3rd day of FRESH 2023. It's the 10th edition of the flagship professional meeting co-organised by Circostrada Network and ARTCENA, this time in collaboration with key partners located in Paris and its region. This not-to-be-missed “rendez-vous” will bring together contemporary circus and outdoor arts artists, programmers, journalists, producers, researchers, and policy-makers for three days of vibrant debates and exciting exchanges. Registration is open within the limits of 350 places available. Registration is open to everyone and is free, beside the booking of on-site lunches and a boat party ticket. https://bit.ly/FRESH2023REGISTER 

Credits:

This episode was produced, edited, and hosted by: Maaike Muis. Music: Blue Dot Sessions. With big thanks to Rémy Boris and Marie Chapoullié and from the Circostrada team Kinga Kecskes and Stéphane Segreto Aguilar. Subscribe to this podcast and be the first to hear new episodes!

What does SAFETY mean in the Circus and Outdoor Arts sector? How do organisations like La Villette and Espace Périphérique apply it in their daily practice? This is AROUND FRESH 2023. A podcast series of seven episodes leading up to the FRESH 2023 event. Maaike Muis, host of this podcast serie, talks with Eleftérios Kechagioglou and Mathilde Lajarrige from Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde in Bagneux about SAFETY

This is the second of three topics highlighted during FRESH 2023. FRESH 2023 is the 10th edition of the flagship professional meeting co-organised by Circostrada Network and ARTCENA, this time in collaboration with key partners located in Paris and its region. This not-to-be-missed “rendez-vous” will bring together contemporary circus and outdoor arts players, artists, programmers, journalists, producers, researchers, and policy-makers for three days of vibrant debates and exciting exchanges. Registration started on May 15 and is open within the limits of 350 places available.

Registration is open to everyone and is free, beside the booking of on-site lunches and a boat party ticket. https://bit.ly/FRESH2023REGISTER 

Credits: This episode was produced, edited, mixed and hosted by: Maaike Muis. Music: Blue Dot Sessions With big thanks to Eleftérios Kechagioglu and Mathilde Lajarrige and from the Circostrada team Kinga Kecskes and Stéphane Segreto Aguilar. Subscribe to this podcast and be the first to hear new episodes!

What does CARE mean in the Circus and Outdoor Arts sector?

How do organisations like La Villette and Espace Périphérique apply it in their daily practice?

This is AROUND FRESH 2023. A podcast series of seven episodes leading up to the FRESH 2023 event. Maaike Muis, host of this podcast serie, talks with Raffaella Benanti from La Villette and Sylvie Cadenat from Espace Périférique about CARE. This is the first of three topics highlighted during FRESH 2023. FRESH2023 is the 10th edition of the flagship professional meeting co-organised by Circostrada Network and ARTCENA, this time in collaboration with key partners located in Paris and its region.

This not-to-be-missed “rendez-vous” will bring together contemporary circus and outdoor arts players, artists, programmers, journalists, producers, researchers, and policy-makers for three days of vibrant debates and exciting exchanges. Registration started on May 15 and is open within the limits of 350 places available. Registration is open to everyone and is free, beside the booking of on-site lunches and a boat party ticket. https://bit.ly/FRESH2023REGISTER Credits: This episode was produced, edited, mixed and hosted by: Maaike Muis. Music: Blue Dot Sessions With big thanks to Raffaela Benanti and Sylvie Cadenat, and from the Circostrada team Kinga Kecskes and Stéphane Segreto Aguilar. Subscribe to this podcast and be the first to hear new episodes!

Credits:This episode was produced, edited, mixed and hosted by: Maaike Muis. Music: Blue Dot Sessions. With big thanks to Raffaela Benanti and Sylvie Cadenat, and from the Circostrada team Kinga Kesckes and Stéphane Segreto Aguilar. 

This podcast is a collection of the thoughts and ideas that came up during he first edition of Spark. An event that took place on April 28th to 29th 2022 in Tilburg (The Netherlands), co-organised with Festival Circolo. It was an event for discussing and imagining the future of big tops and exploring new possibilities for the mobility of circus tents and big tops,

Spark brought together a small group of participants combining Circostrada members, artists architects and designers that exchanged best practices, experiences and brainstorm collectively to come up with a list of recommendations to circulate within the field at local, national, and European levels.  

• introduction
• 1st experience under a big top, 2:28
• circus life, 5:30
• challenges. 9:47
• solutions and ideas 15:28
• the future 22:46
• credits 25:45

This podcast was commissioned by Circostrada and festival Circolo.

Interviews, productions and host: Maaike van Langen. Editing and coaching: Geert Vlieger. Music via Blue dot sessions.

Many thanks to:

All the participants of Spark Tilburg, in particular: Antonia Kuzmanic, Milan Manić, Nikola Mijatović, Marc Eysink Smeets, Anne-Agathe Prin, Jiri Turek, Anne Schaap, Nix Pretlover, Rik Makes, Tom Rack. Festival Circolo. Theater de Nieuwe Vorst and off course Circostrada. 

Circostrada is coordinated by ARTCENA and co-funded by the French Ministry of Culture and the Creative Europe programme of the European commission.  If you want to know more about Circostrada Network's missions, activities, members, latest news and resources, check out www.circostrada.org

The second day of FRESH 2023 was dedicated to the concept of safety in the arts started during a morning session at Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde. We had the pleasure of hosting a roundtable discussion with the facilitation of Chrissie Faniadis gathering Isabel Joly, Juhyung Lee, Clive Lyttle and Elisabeth Efua Sutherland, during which we have explored the importance of creating and maintaining safe creative spaces in order to regenerate the performing arts sector in general, and the circus and arts in the public space in particular.

On the third and last day of FRESH 2023 - International Event for the Development of Contemporary Circus and Outdoor Arts, we have explored the concept of sustainability. The day started with a morning session organised in partnership with De Rue De Cirque, inside the big top of Village de cirque festival.

To open the session we had Eric lenoir, landscape designer, and author, who invited us to reflect on how we can integrate systems of cooperation that are omnipresent in ecosystems into our ways of creating and working.

Marija Baranauskaitė Liberman and Andrea Salustri continued the journey via a 30-minute conversation on their mutual artistic practices through the lens of sustainability.

We also had the pleasure to host a roundtable discussion with the facilitation of Gwendolenn Sharp gathering Danielle Devery, Joris Janssens, Théo Mouzard (Collectif Etc), Olle Strandberg Colling, and Jin Yim who shared ideas about how solidarity and cooperation can foster a more holistic approach to sustainabilit

The second day of FRESH 2023 was dedicated to the concept of safety in the arts started during a morning session at Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde. We had Guillaume Dupuis, associate professor at Université Paris-Saclay who had introduced the concept of safety with an inspiring and powerful keynote. Darya Efrat and Osian Meilir have continued the journey via an artistic talk.

The first day of FRESH 2023 - International Event for the Development of Contemporary Circus and Outdoor Arts has opened in style the 3 days programme, starting at La Villette, with the opening words of Gwénola David - General Director of ARTCENA, Stéphane Segreto-Aguilar - Head of Development at ARTCENA and Coordinator of Circostrada, Gilles Pelayo, Head of Unit, EACEA B.1 CULTURE (established by the European Commission) and Christopher Miles, General Director of Artistic Creation at the French Ministry of Culture.

Day 1 of the programme, was dedicated to the concept of care during a morning session at La Villette, with the intervention of Fabienne Brugère, philosopher and author, and with the hostig of a roundtable discussion with the facilitation of Katie Kheriji-Watts gathering Koon Allary, Emilie Buestel & Marie Doiret, Anna Giribet i Argilès, Sebastián De la Cuesta Gormaz and Lucho Smit.

Listen to the talks here, with an additional closing interview of Fabienne Brugère.

This podcast is a collection of the thoughts and ideas that came up during the second edition of Spark. An event that took place between June 14th to 18th, 2023 in Elefsina (Greece).

This cross-sectorial laboratory was co-organised with ARTCENA, Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde, Elefsina European Capital of Culture, Institut français Paris, Institut français de Grèce, Teatroskop - South Eastern European Network for Performing Arts, it was an event on the question of placemaking or making territory through live performance.

SPARK brought together a small group of professionals from across Europe combining Circostrada members, artists, architects, geographers, creative producers, artistic directors that exchanged best practices, experiences, build common knowledge and provided concrete recommendations.

This podcast was commissioned by Circostrada.

Interviews, production and host: Danai Maragoudaki.

Production, scripting, editing: Yannis-Orestis Papadimitriou

Mastering, editing, original music: Stefanos Konstantinidis.

Circostrada is coordinated by ARTCENA and co-funded by the French Ministry of Culture and the Creative Europe programme of the European commission. If you want to know more about Circostrada Network's missions, activities, members, latest news and resources, check out www.circostrada.org.

FRESH 2023 is thé international event for the outdoor arts and circus sector organized by Circostrada and its members. From September 20th till September 22nd Paris and its region is buzzing with Fresh activities.

This podcast series brings you up to speed with the main topics, partner organizations and some of the key speakers at FRESH 2023. Listen to AROUND FRESH wherever you get your podcasts. MORE INFO: https://www.circostrada.org/en/actions/fresh-2023

What does it mean to pass on knowledge—and how can circus arts shape the way we teach, care, and create?

In this episode of Crossing Voices, we dive into the world of circus education through the voices of two artists who are reimagining how skills and values are transmitted across generations.

Host Maaike Muis brings together Danka Sekulović, based in Serbia and active within the self-organised collective Cirkusfera, and Saar Rombout, a Dutch artist teaching in Stockholm and Rotterdam. Both explore the tensions between traditional and contemporary aesthetics, offering fresh perspectives on what it means to teach in today’s circus landscape.

From activist pedagogy to creative rigging, their work challenges conventional models and embraces alternative approaches rooted in care, autonomy, and innovation. Whether navigating political pressure, burnout, or the everyday rituals that sustain community—like sharing coffee—their stories reveal how teaching can be both a technical and deeply human act.

Through their practices, we glimpse a future of circus education that is bold, inclusive, and grounded in the lived realities of those who shape it.

Interview, edit, VoiceOver: Maaike Muis

Production: Kinga Kesces for Circostrada

music: Blue dot sessions

more info and resources: circostrada.org

The final day at the Hippodrome of FRESH STREET #5 has begun with a truly special keynote from the legendary Brian Eno who will spark some inspiration in a dynamic and powerful session. After that, a panel of artists and cultural professionals have taken the stage to unpack how artists are responding to today’s and the future’s global and economic challenges. How do creativity and resilience shape artistic practice in uncertain times? The roundtable discussion has united Seraina De Block (BE), Lucia Dubačová (SK) Ed Gillespie (UK), Mimi Lam (HK), Peter John Sabbagha (SA), Michael Sauter (US). This session was facilitated by Julia Von Wild (DE).

The Live Radio was hosted by Dorothy Max Prior.

FRESH STREET #5 continued on its second day at the Hippodrome with a keynote by Vicki Dela Amedume, offering insights into communities and places, from her perspective as an artist. Then, a panel of artists and cultural professionals will come together to share ideas on how inclusive artistic practices can strengthen community connections, elevate a range of voices, and respond creatively to today’s social challenges. The roundtable gathered Tatiana-Mosio Bongonga & Jan Naerts (FR), Luke Horley (BE, FR, UK), Antonia Kuzmanić (HR), Alicia Laguna (ME), Jacqui Mackay (UK), Luis Petit & Prisca Villa (ES). This session was facilitated by Sho Shibata (UK).

Welcome to Great Yarmouth!

We have started the first day with welcome words from the teams at Out There Arts UK, ARTCENA/ Circostrada, and Arts Council England, kicking off three days of conversations around Place, People, and the Future of outdoor arts.

Then, six artists and cultural pros have explored the evolution of outdoor arts, its relationship with places, and its revolutionary spark. Is there a connection between popular entertainment and political art? The roundtable have united Chiva Bons (NL), Alba Colombo Vilarrasa (ES), Eddie Egal (DE), Paka Johnson (UK), Smriti Rajgarhia (IN), Do Verschragen (NL). The session was facilitated by Alexis Nys (FR).

The FRESH STREET #5 live radio was hosted by Dorothy Max Prior.

What does it mean to belong—and how can art help us get there?

In this episode of Crossing Voices, we explore placemaking through the eyes of migrant artists who use outdoor arts to build bridges between communities.

Host Maaike Muis brings together Dulce Duca, a Portuguese circus artist based in the UK and featured at the Out There Festival in Great Yarmouth, and Paulina Almeida, a Portugal-based artist involved in the MagiC Carpets platform. Both draw on their own experiences of migration to create projects that centre inclusion, diversity, and shared humanity.

From festivals to residencies, their from refugee camps to local café’s their work shows how temporary performances can leave lasting social impact—transforming public spaces into places of connection, care, and collective identity.

Crossing Voices – Linking European and international perspectives in contemporary circus and outdoor arts is designed to highlight the voices of key players in these sectors. This podcast is part of the red thread followed by Circostrada’s new project, CS Voices, fostering ongoing dialogue on pressing issues and inspiring meaningful change in the arts and policymaking for a more inclusive and sustainable cultural landscape.

Production: Circostrada – Kinga Kecskes & Maaike Muis

Music: Blue Dot Sessions 

More info & resources: circostrada.org

For the new season of Crossing Voices, host  Maaike Muis  brings together Anna Szepes, theatre maker and facilitator developing community based participatory projects, co-founder of the DePart Collective, and Azadeh Ganjeh, performance artist, researcher, dramaturge, activist, and member of the Rebel-Ist-ha! Collective. Together, they discuss freedom of creation, what it means to be free, and how to foster the right conditions to create. As Azadeh reminds us: "Artistic freedom is not about choosing between given choices. It's about creating choices." And sometimes, those choices mean creating spaces where people can simply be together—silly, goofy, nurturing each other—building the resilience needed for bigger actions later.

Crossing Voices – Linking European and international perspectives in contemporary circus and outdoor arts is designed to highlight the voices of key players in the contemporary circus and outdoor arts sectors. This podcast is part of the red-thread followed by Circostrada's new project, CS VOICES. The podcast aims to foster a continuous dialogue on current issues, bringing together diverse perspectives to inspire meaningful change in both the arts and policymaking, thereby contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable cultural landscape.

Want to know more?

• Read the Performing Art’s Coalition report Between Rhetoric and Reality: Cultural Rights, Artistic Freedom, and Democratic Resilience, by Elena Polivtseva.
• Have a look at ARTCENA’s documentation on Freedom of Creation (in French)

Credits

Interview, edit, voice-over: Maaike Muis

Production: Circostrada- Kinga Kesces & Magdeleine Goutierre

Music: Blue dot sessions