The 11th National Circus Festival and Masterclass Project

The State of Western Australia has made an investment in this project through ArtsWA in association with The Lotteries Commission. The Festival and Masterclass Project has also been made possible by The Office of Youth Affairs, Healthway/Enjoy Healthy Eating, The Rottnest Island Business Community, Rottnest Express Ferries, RTRFM 92.1 Community Radio and The National Circus Festival. The backdrop for the main stage of the festival is being constructed with assistance from Community Arts Network Urban Art Program and The Government of Western Australia Graffiti Program.

Training is being offered in everything circus and physical theatre including trapeze, tightwire, acrobatics, adagio, manipulation, clowning, juggling, unicycling, street theatre, web rope, strentghtening, safe training and rigging techniques, music in performance, skills to performance and talks series.

Over 70 Trainers and performers are coming from all over the world including The London Circus School, Nthern Ireland Circus School, Helene Embling/ France ,Matt Wilson, Geoff Dunstan and Kate Fryer Circus Oz, Joel Salom NSW, Kate Ellis SA, Popeyed/ Rock'n'Roll Circus, Dislocate and Three Speed Crunchbox VIC, Popeyed QLD Circus Monoxide, Circus Minimus/Vulcana Womens Circus, The Flying Fruit Fly Circus VIC, Lunar Circus WA, Kim KaosVIC, Huggy and Strawberry WA, The Leopard Man WA, BizircusWA , Reg Bolton/Suitcase Circus, The Birdman QLD and More!

The Project and Festival features The Lunar Circus Big Top,Trapeze Rig, Tightwire, Tumble Run, Main Stage, Renegade Stage, Massage Tent and Good Food Tent. You can be at any level of profficiency to be involved.

$300.00 covers eight days accomodation ,eight days training and three day festival pass!

The three day public festival begins on the 29th of Sept and runs untill the 1st of October and is directly after the masterclass training project. It also features workshops and all day performances including a nightly fire spectacular , The Big Big Show, The Big Kids Show and Lunar Circus Big Top, .

The project suits anyone with an interest in circus,sports or theatre and trainees registered to date are both, absolute beginners and proffessional performers working within the industry. The project also suits Youth, Arts , Sports, Community workers, team and network training, teachers and trainers or just those with an interest to learn some new skills and take part in this rare event.

The festival originated ten years ago in Tasmania growing every year in popularity..the last one was held in Mullimbimby NSW and over 2500 people attended over the three days. Others have been held on Stradbroke Island and in Albury Wadonga..Due to the isolation and costs of holding the festival in WA it probably wont be back for another ten years after this one . Interest has been phenomenal with many performers driving and flying from the east coast so they don't miss out on their once a year industry meet, network, skillshare and training festival. The festival has become one of the major focuses for people within the industry as new companies and projects are born and networking and skillsharing is an intergral part of the training project.

If you have any queries about the Rottnest Island Masterclass Project and Festival please contact us