Help Us Deliver the Next 10 Years of Circus City.
For a decade, Circus City has brought world-class contemporary circus to Bristol – transforming spaces, defying expectations, and creating unforgettable shared experiences full of joy, risk, and play.
Now, we're looking ahead with a clear vision for the next 10 years: a more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable future for circus in Bristol and beyond. We're expanding diverse representation across our programme, team and audiences, offering sliding scale ticket pricing, improved access provision, and programming events across and beyond the city centre. Artist support will run year-round, encouraging bold experimentation and connection. We’ll continue to bring world-class circus to Bristol stages, championing the city as the UK home of circus and creating new pathways for local and national work to reach global audiences.
At a time when making bold, original art is harder than ever, we need your support to bring this ambitious vision to life – kickstarting the next 10 years with a festival that reflects the future we believe in.
We are a small but mighty organisation with overheads that amount to only 1.5% of our annual budget - this means your donation will go directly to supporting the livelihoods of artists and creative workers and making vital, shared artistic experiences happen.
“I’d recommend it to anyone. Theatre that overcomes language and borders. Wherever and whoever you are, you will find awe, joy, and curiosity here” Audience Feedback Circus City 2023.
More About Us
Circus City is the UK’s only festival dedicated to contemporary circus. Taking place across Bristol over three weeks in October, we spark bold conversations and drive social change through fearless, boundary-breaking physical performance.
Since 2015, we've produced five international festivals, reaching over 20,000 people through shows, workshops, and activities. Staged in traditional theatres, community venues, and outdoor spaces, our programme features world premieres, international work, and local talent, and reflects our belief that the stage is a powerful space for diverse representation.
Outside the festival, we deliver projects that introduce contemporary circus to new audiences, foster international partnerships, and support artists across the UK to develop and create new work.
(Image Credit: Paul Blakemore - Sawdust Symphony CC23)
How you can help:
We have been successful in securing a grant from Arts Council England, alongside a range of small grants from Trusts and Foundations, to deliver Circus City 2025. We are extremely proud to receive ACE funding at a time when the success rate for applications is at an all time low.
Our model is not commercial, many of our events are in small venues, and our accessible pricing, and high artist costs means that Circus City requires a lot of subsidy to exist. Arts funding is under immense pressure whilst the cost of delivering arts festivals continues to rise.
We are reaching out for support from the public to raise a further £10,000, enabling us to not only deliver the festival but achieve our aspirations for its accessibility, reach and impact, for audiences, artists, and circus as a whole.
(Image Credit: Paul Blakemore - Tit for Tat CC23)
What things cost:
£5
- Arms a stage manager with essential Gaffa and glow tape
- Buys backstage snacks for a circus company
£15
- Supports one person to attend an international show via sliding scale ticket scheme
£25
- Provides lunch and dinner for an artist (1 day per diems)
£40
- Supports one minute of a circus performance (60 seconds of magic)
£50
- Funds an artist mentoring session
- Sources props and materials for an international show (enabling light travel)
£75
- Supports 5 people to attend an international show via sliding scale ticket scheme
£150
- Hires a special lighting unit for the free outdoor show
- Pays a freelance artist on the selection panel
- Covers live events training fee for a young producer
£220
- Pays production manager to coordinate technical show requirements
£250
- Stipends for young ambassadors to attend and shape future programming
- Supports a session for an emerging artist to workshop a new idea with a community
- Covers artist accommodation in Bristol
£350
- Pays for BSL interpretation for one spoken-text show
- Pays a circus rigger to safely install aerial rigging
£500
- Provides tech and marketing support for an emerging artist's showcase
- Covers travel expenses for 5 young filmmakers documenting the festival
£600
- Sponsors a Circus City billboard
£750
- Pays 3 artists to run an open access workshop for up to 150 young people
£1000
- Covers sustainable travel costs for artists (rail/road over flights)
- Pays for sustainable printing of the festival programme
£1500
- Rents a comfy 200-seat rake for audience seating
£2000
- Funds essential festival insurance
- Contributes towards artistic fees for a circus company, supporting artists and production teams
(Image Credit: Jonathan Rowley)
THANK YOU.