CircusInfo Finland actively participates in several international and domestic collaboration projects, which focus on creating opportunities for professionals on the field.
Performing HEL
In September 2021, the Performing HEL showcase, a joint effort between eight operators in the Finnish performing arts sector, will present an enthralling array of performances representing current circus, dance and theatre in Finland. Due to the exceptional circumstances this year, part of the programme will take place online.
Being held now for the third time, Performing HEL is intended for international and Finnish presenters and theatre and festival directors and will take place in Helsinki on 2–5 September 2021. Registration for the event has opened online on 23 March.
The abundance of multidisciplinary pieces and working groups is clear to see in the 2021 programme. The artists span different career stages but are united by their capacity to tour and work internationally. The 12 pitches, eight demos, and seven full-length performances featured in the programme will show off a varied collection of current works. The works will be performed not just on traditional stages, but throughout urban spaces and the VR world.
Held at the start of September, Performing HEL will once again coincide with the final week of Helsinki Festival. The pieces and artists featured in the programme were selected from almost 140 proposals submitted through an open application process. Furthermore, three programme performances are also included in the domestic performing art programme of Helsinki Festival 2021. There are also collaborations with Helsinki Biennial, Zodiak – Center for New Dance and Cirko – Center for New Circus.
Aim of this event, which has been supported by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, is to promote sales and export of Finnish performing arts. The 2021 event is being organised by Dance Info Finland and CircusInfo Finland, in collaboration with Helsinki Festival, Espoo City Theatre, The Swedish Theatre, Klockriketeatern, The Finnish National Theatre, and Theatre Info Finland (TINFO).
More information at www.performinghel.fi
Pragma Helsinki
Pragma Helsinki was born from a two-year development project ignited by Dance Info Finland and CircusInfo Finland. The project is supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland.
Pragma Helsinki was created based on the need to develop sustainable working conditions in collaboration with artists. We help our clients to achieve their professional dreams by supporting them through every step of the journey, from recognizing needs to filing reports. We have an understanding of how the artist can attain his or her goals and ideals without compromising artistic content. With us, the artist will find a competent and pragmatic partner who can take care of any assignment, from production, administration and/or sales.
It was clear from the very start of Pragma Helsinki that we as producers and managers need to determine our common values and let them guide us in our decision-making. While recognizing our values, the words that frequently came up were: partnership, professionalism, open-mindedness, compassion and reliability. These values are the foundation of Pragma and we aim to convey them in everything we do. Now and in the future.
Pragma Helsinki is located in Helsinki, Finland.
Read more on Pragma Helsinki >>
CircusInfo Finland’s and Dance Info Finland’s joint project on internationalization 2019-2021
The project aims at strengthening the international contacts and networks in Asian and North American markets for both Finnish circus and dance, through organising showcase events at performing arts fairs and market places. The project received a grant from the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The project strengthens the international visibility, export and networks for circus and dance, especially in Asia and North Americas, as well as develops the international know-how of our artists, producers and managers. The project enables us to organise several networking trips to performing arts fairs, to support the mobility of several artists and producers, and to organise training in international skills for our fields.
Through the project Finnish circus and dance professionals take part in 4 different performing arts events: PAMS 2019, IPAY 2020, TPAM 2020 and CINARS 2020.
For further information contact our Head of International Development Lotta Nevalainen:
Digital Leap – Capacity building for circus and dance professionals 2022–2023
Digital Leap is an international two-year project that offers dance and circus professionals learning opportunities for deepening their understanding of digital environments and their possibilities in performing arts.
How do we promote and distribute performances digitally and virtually, without compromising the essential live experience?
Digital Leap consists of four self-contained five-day training modules, the first one starting in spring 2022. The modules are held in Czech Republic, Lithuania, Catalunya and France. Participants – altogether 28 for each module – are chosen through open calls for professionals in the partner countries. First calls open in autumn 2021.
Each training module approaches the topic from a different angle: promoting artistic work on digital platforms, adapting performances for virtual environments, distributing artistic work and ideas digitally, and connecting with audiences by digital means. The training programme is built on learning by doing and will invite experts from various disciplines as teachers, facilitators and mentors.
The ideas and knowhow emerged in the training modules will be accessible for all and published in the form of digital Cookbooks and videos. Seminars for the local performing arts professionals will be organised in each participating country in spring 2023.
For further information contact our Head of International Development Lotta Nevalainen:
Digital Leap is a collaboration between eight expert organisations from seven European countries: ARTCENA (FR), Arts and Theatre Institute (CZ), CircusInfo Finland (FI), Dance Info Finland (FI), Danscentrum Sverige (SE), Institut Ramon Llull IRL (ES), Lithuanian Dance Information Centre (LT) and Performing Arts Hub Norway (NO). Dance Info Finland coordinates the project.
Digital Leap has received funding of the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme. More information about the Erasmus+ programme can be found here: ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus ›
Samovar Circles 2021–2022
Samovar Circles is a collective catalyst and boiler of ideas on how to tackle new challenges and opportunities for the performing arts in the post covid era. Artists, presenters and funders within the Nordic and Baltic contemporary circus and performing arts field will be invited to a series of intimate and highly participative meetings on the following themes: the future of international collaboration, diversity and representation and preventing a lost generation of artists.
Samovar Circles will constitute an empathy driven think-tank from which inspiration can flow and new models for tomorrow can be constructed. Samovar Circles is initiated with the aim to support stakeholders across the field to keep going, strengthen their relations and find out together how to build new support structures for the future. Samovar Circles will take place both online and live.
Samovar Circles is a short term network initiated and organised by Subtopia (Sweden), CircusInfo Finland (Finland), Performing Arts Hub (Norway), Teatronas (Lithuania), New Theatre Institute of Latvia (Latvia) and Wildtopia (Denmark). The partners represent different missions, contexts, knowledge and practices.
Nordics Combined
Nordics Combined is a collaboration network of CircusInfo Finland, Dance Info Finland, Performing Arts Hub Norway (PAHN), The Danish Arts Foundation and The Swedish Arts Council. The aim of the collaboration is to enhance the visibility of Nordic performing arts globally. This is carried out by information sharing, Nordic presence at performing arts fairs and markets, and different cooperation projects. The network has e.g. organised the Korea-Nordic cooperation program, with KAMS Korea Arts Management Service as the Korean lead partner.
For further information contact our Head of International Development Lotta Nevalainen:
Finnish–Russian exchange
CircusInfo Finland co-operates with Dance Info Finland’s Finnish–Russian dance exchange program, together with the The Finnish Institute in St. Petersburg. The aim of the project is to effectuate collaborations between Russian and Finnish dance and circus professionals.
For further information contact our Head of International Development Lotta Nevalainen:
Towards new stages 2020–2021
A collaboration project between CircusInfo Finland and Dance Info Finland attempts to sustainably improve the outreach of circus and dance performances. The aim is to create possibilities for touring within Finland in an ecologically, economically and culturally sustainable way. Three regional days outside the Helsinki metropolitan will be organised with the financial support of the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, one or two of them as webinars. These regional meetings will bring together performing art professionals from the circus and the dance companies and from the regional performing art institutions (theatres, festivals, regional centres). The project aims at enhancing performance visits by sharing knowledge and co-learning. The training sessions focus on marketing and communications both from the point of view of the visiting company and the receiving venue. In addition, two pitch-presentation events of circus and dance shows will be organised.
For further information contact our Head of Development (Finland) Johanna Mäkelä:
