Contemporary circus and outdoor arts in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

Circostrada (the European Network for Contemporary Circus and Outdoor Arts), together with Lithuanian organisation Teatronas, have launched a publication on contemporary circus and outdoor arts in Lithuania and the region. 

The publication includes: 

• In-depth articles presenting the local and regional ecosystem 
• Interviews with key sectoral players and artists
• A mapping of contemporary circus and outdoor arts festivals, venues, training centres and organisations in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

Contemporary circus and outdoor art is a growing field in the Baltic region. As academic Renida Baltrušaityte says:

“In the Lithuanian primary education and public discourse, there is a pejorative connotation of circus and outdoor arts that does not reflect the real picture. In practice, the only opportunity to get acquainted with high-quality cultural examples of these art forms remains through international festivals taking place in Lithuania. This newly developing art field has been growing significantly over the past few years—the opening of the very first contemporary circus centre in Kaunas is a perfect illustration of this—however, the constant opposition between contemporary and traditional circus is still an impediment to the recognition of circus as an art form worthy of attention and worthy of a well-informed audience.”

As artist Džiugas Kunsmanas observes, this growth, and development of new spaces, has encouraged more local and international groups to perform and return to the region. 

The publication was launched at Circostrada Annual General Meeting in Kaunas in June 2022.

Download the publication here. 

Image: © Dziugas Kunsmanas, 'Mood' – Co-production with Teatronas. Photographer: Donatas Aliskauskas