Fancy joining the circus?

The National Centre for Circus Arts will hold auditions for their Foundation Degree programme in Belfast for the first time this year.
Auditions for BA Hons Circus Arts. INBM16-16SAuditions for BA Hons Circus Arts. INBM16-16S
Auditions for BA Hons Circus Arts. INBM16-16S

The centre is one of eight affiliates of the prestigious Conservatoire for Dance and Drama, whose other members include RADA, LAMDA and Central School of Ballet.

Tim Roberts, a National Teaching Fellowship award winner and the National Centre’s HE Courses Director, says that there has been a long association between Belfast and the London school. “Many of our alumni have come from Northern Ireland over the years. They will nearly all have had an association with Belfast Community Circus and the amazing work they have done during their 30 year history. The standards of those who we have auditioned have always been high. We thought it was time that we explored this relationship a bit further.”

“We want to hear from anyone who has the ambition to make a career out of performance. You may have done circus, dance, gymnastics or parkour. You could be a skater or been climbing lamp posts as a kid. People from all backgrounds in performance join our programmes. What you do isn’t as important as your will to learn.”

The popularity of circus arts has seen huge growth in recent years. From global multi-billion dollar companies such as Cirque du Soleil, to a burgeoning circus industry across the UK and Europe, venues, theatres and festivals are seeing record audiences for circus across the country.

The National Centre for Circus Arts offers further and higher education programmes, ranging from a BTEC qualification to a Postgraduate Certificate and BA (Hons) Degree in Circus Arts. Their graduates work around the world with companies like Cirque du Soleil and Les 7 Doigts de la Main, as well as with some of the UK’s most reputable companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Roundhouse, English National Opera and the National Theatre.

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