the program MERIDIAN(s) focuses its action in Germany this year with a outstanding presence of the Catalan circus to create a scenario of visibility in this country in 2026, and at the same time strengthen cooperation between both territories in the field of circus.
In this way, throughout the year, some forty artistic proposals will travel to twelve festivals in Germany, reflecting the plurality and vitality of the Catalan circus. This presence will materialize in various formats, such as performances, artistic residencies, sessions of pitchinga laboratory for creation and professional activities aimed at promoting spaces for meeting and exchange between agents from the two territories.
The program, which last year focused on Portugal, is coordinated by theAssociation of Circus Professionals of Catalonia (APCC) and has the support of the Ramon Llull Institute (IRL) and the Catalan Institute of Cultural Enterprises (ICEC).
Meridian(s)is framed within the measure CirC – Catalan Circus International Rings of II Promotion plan for the Catalan circus 2023-2026which aims to develop and strengthen the international projection of the Catalan circus, fostering international connections and relationships that can last over time.
This May, the CircusDanceFestivall (Cologne, from 21 to 24 May) and the Bildstörung Festival de (Detmold, from 22 to 26 May) have had a large presence of Catalan companies and professionals. In Cologne it has been possible to see a Diana Gadish, Co. La Churry, Co. Express, Cia Otra vez lunes, Angel Duran Performing Arts i Nuria Full Moon. As for the Detmold festival, he performed there Electric 28, The Galindos, Los Informals i Joan Català.
Other festivals that are part of the MERIDIAN(s) program are tête-à-tête (Rastatt, from 3 to 7 June) where the companies are scheduled Balagans, If Circus, navel, Pau Palaus, Roi Borrallas, Mr. Stets i Circus Panic; ViaThea (Görlitz, from 2 to 4 July) with Manolo Alcantara; Berlin Circus Festival(Berlin, from August 5 to 16), From North to West (Bremen, Osnabrück, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Löhne, Arnsberg, Wuppertal, Dinslaken and Troisdorf during July and August) where he will tour Show Cia. Express; at. voltage (Larz, September 3 to 6) i atoll (Karlsruhe, 17 to 27 September). A Chamäleon Berlin PLAY (Berlin, January and February) performed there Zed Zanzu.
In terms of reverse mobility, programmers and festival managers from Germany will attend several festivals and fairs in Catalonia this year. At the Trapeze Fair (Reus, from 13 to 17 May) representatives of the Atoll, Chamäleon Berlin, Berlin Circus Festival and the online platform Zirkus Plus have participated. The assistance of several German professionals is also planned Tàrrega Fairsome of whom will be attending for the first time.
Apart from this initiative, other German circus festivals will also have a Catalan presence this year Alles Muss Raus (Kaiserslautern, from July 18 to 20) where they will perform Leandre Clown i Co. Vero Cendoya; Boulev-Art Festival (Wismar, from July 31 to August 2) where you can see a Adrian Schwarzstein i Electric 28.
Despite being a project limited in time, MERIDIAN(s) was born with the desire to generate lasting relationships and to promote dynamics of exchange, discovery and complicity between the Catalan and German circus sectors beyond 2026.
The II Plan to promote the circus of Catalonia 2023 2026 is an initiative of the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Association of Circus Professionals of Catalonia (APCC) which has the collaboration of the Ramon Llull Institute, the Ateneu Popular 9 Barris, the Rogelio Rivel Circus Arts Center, Encirca’t, the Association of Circus Training of Catalonia (AFOCC), Fira Trapezi Ajuntament de Reus, La Central del Circ, the Mercat de les Flors and the complicity of several municipalities, entities and scenic equipment in Catalonia.
This promotion plan consists of 14 specific measures that aim to boost creation, production and exhibition, generate circuits and guarantee the presence of the circus in its diversity throughout the territory, strengthen companies in the sector, stimulate research and investigation and take advantage of the appeal and the social, transformative, educational and communicative impact of the circus.
