A Strong increase in the number of Finnish circus performances

During the year 2016 circus companies and Cirko – Center for New Circus organised altogether 816 performances in Finland (in 2015: 495) and 486 performances abroad (in 2015: 532). The aggregate attendance of Finnish contemporary circus companies in the year of 2016 was 94.259 spectators in Finland (in 2015: 59.051) and 140.684 spectators abroad (in 2015: 118.991).

Compared to the previous year the numbers of performances and spectators in Finland show an increase (perf. +65%, spect. +60%) and abroad a decrease in performances (-9%) and increase in spectators (+18%). The increase of performances and spectators in Finland is partly due to the increasing number of companies included in the statistics.

More than a third (38%) of the performances and almost two-thirds of the spectators (62%) for Finnish contemporary circus companies’ own productions took place outside of Finland. In 2015, the share of performances abroad was more than a half (53%) and of spectators more than two-thirds (69%).

Finnish circus companies’ tours reach all corners of the world. During 2016 Finnish circus companies visited a total of 32 countries: besides 19 European countries also in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and the USA.

The number of circus performances compiled in the statistics of 2016 was altogether 1.726. Out of these, the contemporary circus companies produced altogether 1.302 performances. The aggregate attendance of the circus performances was 446.650 spectators in 2016. Out of these performances, the contemporary circus companies gathered an audience of 234.943 spectators.

The 2016 statistics gather information from as many as 38 companies, working groups as well as Cirko – Center for New Circus in addition to two traditional touring circuses, Sirkus Finlandia and Sirkus Caliba of which the latter is included for the first time.