Three days full of movement, creativity, and shared experiences. Czech Circus Nights 2025, an international festival of contemporary circus, took place in 11 Czech and 2 Slovak cities, and attracted a total of 4,485 visitors. Attendance has doubled since last year, and this year’s edition also confirmed the growing popularity of contemporary circus and the public’s hunger for interactive events that they can experience for themselves.
This year’s festival was even more significantly rooted in interactivity. Of a total of 55 events, over half were workshops and open classes, where people of all generations could try juggling, acrobatics, and other contemporary circus disciplines for themselves. Thus, Circus Nights once again confirmed its uniqueness, showing that it is not just a showcase, but, first and foremost, a shared space, where spectators become participants.
Trailer for Circus Nights 2025
This atmosphere was visible across all locations. In Jihlava, this year’s program had a remarkably friendly and community-minded spirit. “Circus Night attracted many more visitors than we expected. Participants evaluated the events as fantastic and enthusiastically took part in a partnered acrobatics workshop and demonstrations of contemporary circus disciplines,” explains Klára Flekalová of DIOD. She adds that one of the biggest draws was Koťátko zkázy: Třeba to vyjde (Kitten of Doom: Maybe It Will Work / Worth a Shot), a performance for young audiences, which significantly increased audience numbers: “We thank everyone for their great energy and active participation.”
Pilsen also confirmed just how strong contemporary circus can be in a community environment this year. A program of performative painting, workshops, and sharing of skills took place in the new Cirkulárium in OC Atom. “Approximately 100 people came to the event and the high light was Noční cirkusové varieté (Night Circus Variety Show), where students and instructors from Cirkulárium performed,” said Jiří Misař, who regards this year’s event as a strong impulse for the future: “The atmosphere of the evening confirmed that Circus Nights has the potential to become a regular meeting point for the circus community and the public in Pilsen.”
The first edition in Olomouc was also remarkably successful, with the festival carried out in great style. “Lampion Theatre’s parade attracted almost 500 participants and the circus gala was full of breathtaking numbers,” said Iveta Navrátilová of Kejklířský spolek Cascabel. “One hundred and twenty spectators gathered for the performance, and the gym was bursting at the seams. We are glad that we were the ones who could proudly bring the first Circus Nights to Olomouc.”
Theatrical premieres took place in many locations as part of Circus Nights. Losers Cirque Company presented their new work, ARMAGEDON: Poslední derniéra (ARMAGEDDON: The Last Performance) at BRAVO! in Braník, while Slovenian choreographer Danijela Zajc’s Les (Forest) was staged in Košice and Ostrava exclusively for the festival with a Czech and Slovak cast. Eliška Brtnická’s five-day masterclass culminated in the premiere of a durational performance, All Shapes, at Cirqueon in Prague, and Aleš Hrdlička presented the Prague premiere of his production Orbiting Zero.
While the Czech Republic took part for the second time, Slovakia welcomed Circus Nights for the first time. The Slovak programme in Bratislava and Košice enjoyed the interest of families, performers and newly emerging circus communities, which have been growing steadily for some time; there is increasing local interest in contemporary circus education and creation.
Circus Nights is unique in that it breaks down the boundaries between the stage and the auditorium. This year’s edition confirmed this in all the participating locations, regardless of size. The regions were just as lively as Prague. Enthusiasts of all generations actively participated in workshops, tried out circus disciplines and discovered the magic of contemporary circus and community sharing. This openness strengthens the community nature of the festival and also supports the growth of contemporary circus as an artistic discipline in Czechia and Slovakia.
Circus Nights (La Nuit du Cirque) was established in France in 2019 and now takes place in over 17 countries around the world. Czech participation is overseen by the Asociace nového cirkusu (Contemporary Circus Association), which brings together professionals and organisations across the country and strives to develop and increase the visibility of contemporary circus at home and abroad.
