Finnish circus companies’ visits abroad on a record level

The number of circus performances compiled in the statistics of 2017 was altogether 1.445. The aggregate attendance of the circus performances in 2017 was 390.915 spectators. The 2017 statistics gather information from as many as 35 companies, working groups as well as Cirko – Center for New Circus in addition to traditional touring circus, Sirkus Finlandia.

It is characteristic of the international nature of circus art that almost a half (45%) of the performances and almost two-thirds of the spectators (65%) for Finnish contemporary circus companies’ own productions took place outside of Finland. The figures of visits abroad are on the same level as in the record year 2015.

Great Britain was the most often visited country in 2017

In 2017 Finnish circus shows were performed 116 times in Great Britain, whereas only 109 times in France. Germany was visited by Finnish companies with 68 performances which is double as much as in the previous year.

The numbers of performances and audience attendance of Finnish contemporary circus shows in Finland are on the same level as in average in the 2010’s. In the year 2016, the figures for performance activity in the home country was approximately 20 % higher than on average in the 2010’s. To view the long-term changes, please open the graphs in the menu to the right.

The circus companies and working groups included in the statistics produced altogether 28 first premieres in 2017. The statistics include a selected list of repertoires for the companies.

In addition to performing, events for audience development, such as workshops for school children and audience discussions, are compiled in their own chart now for the first time. During 2017 circus companies and the circus centre reported organizing 92 events for audience development and the events gained attendance of 6.870 participants.

The figures of finances for circus companies operating with state support and the circus centre are compiled to a chart. It is worth noticing that the self-generated income is over one million euros altogether. In average the companies double the amount of the state support as self-generated income.