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CIRCLE 2025

FEDEC | 19-24 October 2025 @ Circa, Auch (FRA)

Call for participation
© CIRCLE 2023 -Laure Geoffroy - Carampa, ENCC & ESAC

CIRCLE is back!

For its flagship event, CIRCLE, FEDEC is once again bringing together circus students to perform at Circa Festival in Auch (FRA), one of the Europe's biggest events dedicated to contemporary circus. For students, this is a unique opportunity to connect, perform, and celebrate circus arts with an international audience!

In 2025, CIRCLE will take place from Sunday 19/10 to Friday 24/10. All performances must be inspired by a common theme: ‘Inside out’. The aim is to encourage students to explore new artistic paths, while connecting CIRCLE to FEDEC current priorities. This year’s theme is linked to Take Care, the first-ever EU project dedicated to supporting mental health and well-being in the circus arts sector.

There will be 8 CIRCLE performances, two per day, each presented once. Unlike last year, performances do not have to be exclusively collaborations between schools—though teamwork is still encouraged!

The CIRCLE week will begin on Sunday 19/10, with a welcome meeting. On Monday 20/10, we will hold a workshop on a topic linked to the FEDEC Take Care project. 

👇 For more information, please download the Call for application (PDF) below 👇

General conditions

  • 8 performances, each performed once in the FEDEC Big Top.
  • Maximum 8 students on stage per performance.
  • 6 persons per CIRCLE will be financially covered (including accompanying staff).
  • Performances must be between 20 and 30 minutes long.

Participation rules

By applying, schools agree to:

  • Create a performance inspired by the theme 'Inside out’ Stay in Auch for the entire duration of CIRCLE (From Sunday 19/10 to Saturday 25/10)
  • Include only current students (Recent graduates who are still following a professionnalisation programme in a FEDEC school are allowed).
  • Include only students over 18.
  • Keep technical requirements simple and feasible.
  • Prioritise safety and provide necessary protective equipment.
  • Be able to adapt - this is a festival context, so flexibility is key!

FEDEC reserves the right to cancel a school’s participation if commitments are not respected.

Selection criteria

⚠️ CIRCLE is only open to FEDEC member schools!

The FEDEC team and Managing Board will select the performances based on the following criteria (in order of importance):

  1. Application submitted on time (by Tuesday, 22/05 @ 18:00).
  2. Priority for schools that have never (or least recently) performed a CIRCLE.
  3. Priority to collaborations over single applications. For collaborations, priority will be given to performances involving schools from different countries and those including at least one school new to CIRCLE.
  4. Geographical diversity: priority to schools traveling the furthest from Auch.

Selected schools will be notified by email on the 26/05.

Applications

👉 All applications must be submitted via this online form, before Tuesday 22/05 at 18:00.

Before applying, please make sure you have carefully read the full Call for participation (PDF below)!