How can circus arts empower communities and transform public spaces to be more inclusive?
SAMOVAR CIRCLES is a network founded in 2022 out of a desire to deepen conversations in a collective engagement within the Nordic and Baltic circus field. The aim was to support artists and presenters in strengthening relationships while collaboratively exploring working models for the future.
Samovar Circles has functioned as a catalyst and boiler of ideas around topics such as the future of international collaboration, diversity and exclusion, engaging the next generation of artists, and the relationship between artists and presenters. Our ambition is to be an empathy-driven think-tank, from which inspiration can ripple outward like circles on water.
New round coming up!
We are very proud to announce that Samovar Circles has been awarded funding to continue our activities for 2 years! The focus is on THE INTERSECTION OF ART, COMMUNITY AND PLACE IN CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS. We aim to catalyze new thinking, collaborations and projects – to inspire and capacity build the Nordic and Baltic circus field on these perspectives.
We will explore existing practices in and beyond performing arts, internationally and in our region, outside of the circus sector – drawing on concepts of placemaking, in situ and community based art. 15 seminars, 2 workshops, and 3 study visits will be organised. Some activities take place online, others live. At the end of the period we will publish a toolkit and give seed-funding to two new projects. Some of the activities will be open to anyone, some will be closed for a group of 22 members who commit to the whole process.
We are looking for 6 new members to the network!
If you are
- an artist or presenter working in circus
- interested in engaging in a process of collectively think-tanking to create future models
- interested in circus in public space and as community activation
- based in the Nordic and Baltic region
….then don´t hesitate to apply to be a member!!
At the moment, Samovar Circles has 16 members. Six new members will be invited, so that the network represents different contexts, missions, practices, backgrounds, generations, parts of the Nordic-Baltic region, career phases, and degrees of establishment – both from institution and from the independent field.
As a member you sign up to join a collective thinking process online and live over 2 years – you are ready to commit, allocating your time and engagement.
Between June 2026 and until July 2028, we will expect you to join 1-2 online coordination meetings per semester, and at least
- 10 seminars
- 1 workshop
- 2 study visits
Artist members will receive a symbolic fee of € 1000 for their participation over the 2 years, plus € 350 per study visit attended.
Presenter members receive no fee for their participation.
Planned visits: 17-20 September 2026 – Anti Festival (Finland) or first week of August 2026 – Contempo(Lithuania). First week of September 2027 – Homo Novus (Latvia). End of July 2028 – Faerder Biennale (Norway). All costs for travel and accommodation to these live events will be covered by the network for both artists and presenters.
Interested to join?
Please fill in this form: applications form.
Deadline to apply is 1st of June 2026.
Samovar Circles is a long-term network initiated and organised by Subtopia (Sweden), Circus & Dance Finland (Finland), Teatronas (Lithuania), and Passage festival/Helsingör Teater (Denmark). With the support of Nordic Culture Point and Nordic Culture Fund.
