Upsala-Circus is a contemporary circus organisation working at the intersection of art, education, and social engagement.
Originally founded in 2000 in Saint Petersburg as a social project for street children and teenagers, Upsala-Circus has grown into an international artistic and pedagogical organisation combining youth work, inclusive programmes, professional artistic productions, and community-based cultural projects.
Today, Upsala-Circus Germany is based in Zeitz, where we develop artistic, educational, and participatory formats with children, teenagers, artists, and local communities.
In April 2022, following the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, part of the Upsala-Circus team relocated to Germany and arrived in Zeitz. Starting from scratch, we began rebuilding the project in a new context.
Since 2022:
200+ children engaged in regular long-term circus programmes
5 circus performances created together with children and teenagers
1,500+ children and teenagers reached through performances, festivals, and public artistic events — as participants and audiences
3 international contemporary circus festivals organised in Zeitz
50+ international artists brought to Zeitz for performances, exchanges, and artistic collaboration
1,200+ festival audience members
2 city-wide carnivals realised with 600+ participants
3 professional contemporary circus productions created
We create opportunities for people to unlock their creative potential.
We believe that people become stronger, freer, and happier when they have space to express themselves, experiment, and be seen.
For us, contemporary circus is not only an art form — it is a language for connection, dialogue, personal growth, and social transformation.
All our work is built around the Upsala-Circus Method - a unique methodology developed through more than two decades of artistic and social practice.
The method combines contemporary circus, circus pedagogy, participatory artistic processes, and social engagement.
Its core principle is simple: creativity is not an add-on - it is the process itself.