Program overview

Day One Program

Wednesday 8 October

Registration: 8:30am — 9am
 
Session 1:
9:00am — 10:45am

Welcome to Country: Wurundjeri Elder Perry Wandin
Welcome Address: NICA Director, Simona Jobbagy and CALS co-editors Dr Joe Culpepper & Dr Melanie Stuckey.
 
Opening Keynote: Dr Janine Stubbe: What does it mean to use the “Arts for Wellbeing”, or to be a "Healthy Artist”? What are the opportunities for artists, arts companies, arts administrators or directors and CALS?
 
Presentation: Dr Fleur van Rens: Improving mental health in circus through the lens of perfection.
Performance: Rachel Hunt & Nichola Vecchiato: Good Grief! Exploring how an aerial canvas can inform physical movement for the purpose of storytelling and catharsis work.
Discussion Panel: Dr Janine Stubbe, Dr Fleur van Rens, Rachel Hunt & Nichola Vecchiato.

Catered Morning Tea & Networking | 10:45am — 11:15pm

Session 2:
11:15am — 12:30pm

Panel discussion: The Future of Circus Research
Fostering the growth, dissemination and appreciation of research as the means to (a) preserve the heritage of circus past, (b) contextualise the breadth and depth of circus present and (c) identify strategies to serve circus future and secure its place and relevance in a rapidly changing world.
Speakers: Prof. Peta Tait, Dr Mark St Leon & Dr Margaret Kirby. 

Panel discussion: Surveillance of Injuries & Research in Circus
Shaping future research to enable the circus industry to thrive. 
Speakers: Dr Stephanie Greenspan, Dr David Munro, Dr Melanie Stuckey and Dr Joanna Nicholas

Presentation: Mitch Jones: alt-circus - experiments in circus futuring

Catered Lunch & Networking | 12:30pm—1:45pm

Session 3:
1:45pm — 3:30pm

Presentation: Dr Joanna Nicholas: The power of words: Coaching cues and communication for optimising artist motivation and performance.
Presentation: Katie Cawthorne & Mitch Jones: Circus Styles - Teaching circus dramaturgy
Presentation: Adam Woolley, Rachel Hunt, with Nichola Vecchiato & Ayesha Tansey: Flying off script: Non-linear Pedagogy in Aerial Arts.
Discussion Panel: Dr Joanna Nicholas, Katie Cawthorne, Mitch Jones, Adam Woolley & Rachel Hunt. 

Afternoon Keynote Speakers: Dr Veronique Richard & Patrice Aubertin: “The journey of an idea” - on the integration of creativity and movement sciences to enhance performance, health, and wellbeing.
 
Afternoon Tea & Networking | 3:30pm — 4:00pm

Session 4:
4:00pm — 5:30pm

Presentation: Dr. Franziska Trapp: The (Re)appearance of Animals in Contemporary Circus. Analysing how animal (re)presentation can be used as a means to bring about different dramaturgical effects
Presentation: Gigi Pinwill: Wildlife Dramaturgy: Reimagining Conservation Through Circus and Story.
Presentation: Marine Bourguignon: Weaving contemporary circus costumes: a creative process out of lines.
Presentation: Kate Fryer: The need of a specialised training program for directors of circus and physical theatre.

5:20pm: Day One Wrap Up

Day Two Program

Thursday 9 October

Registration (new attendees): 8.30am — 9:00am
 
Session 1:
9:00am — 11:00am

Acknowledgement of country, Day 2 intro: (MC's) Aurora Kurth and Lachlan MacDonald

Opening Act: Jace Gonçalves and Jaran Latona-Phasuk - Directed by Kate Fryer

Keynote speaker: Marty Evans (CIRCA)
Working ‘in lines’ offers the luxury of safety and repetition: a place to experiment, stumble, fail, and return to train again tomorrow. But nothing compares to the moment you take a skill out of the lines — when it’s entirely up to you.

Panel Discussion: Current Circus students share their perspectives on 'What is Circus?'
Circus is Expansive: ever evolving in language, practice and possibility. Defining it raises more questions than answers. Can conflicting perspective coexist without diminishing one another? This panel begins with student questions and opens the floor to the audience. What are your big questions, and how ight we explore them together at the Summit? As a community, we will consider how to hold space for difference with curiosity, generosity and care.
Speakers: Carter Kirkland, Bridie Callahan, Saskia Gallasch & Laiken Jackson - Mentored by Katie Cawthorne and Mitch Jones

Morning Tea & Networking | 11:00am — 11:30am

Session 2:
11:30am — 12:30pm

Panel Discussion: Advocacy for circus in the Arts Sector
Arts education programs around the world are facing funding cuts - at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels alike. What are the benefits to having access to arts education? What can artists and educators do to best advocate for the importance of these programs? 
Speakers: Anni Davey, Reggie Richardson, Nikki Jeffries, Cath Hedge & Tegan Carmichael Facilitator: Justin Green

Lunch & Networking | 12:30pm — 1:30pm

Session 3:
1:30pm — 2:30pm

Panel Discussion: Cost of Living
In the 2023 Summit, Creative Plus Business's Monica Davidson spoke about the importance of having the "work horses" (shows that bring in the money) and the "unicorns" (shows you do for the passion). At the moment, everyone is feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis, from artists to venues to audiences alike, and at times we see even the workhorses struggling. How are we handling this as a sector? How are we making space for our unicorns?
Speakers: Bonnie Blewitt, Jace Gonçalves, Nat Athenden Facilitator: MJ Warfield

Afternoon Tea & Networking | 2:30pm — 3:00pm

Session 4:
3:00pm — 5:15pm

Panel Discussion: Where are we going (Circus as Megafauna)
In times of collapse — economic, ecological, or social — there is a tendency to sideline what appears extravagant, outdated, or impractical. Like the megafauna of the Ice Age, circus is often viewed as a relic of a bygone era: large in scale, resource-intensive, and out of step with the sleek efficiencies of the modern world. Is this the truth or a dangerous misreading?
Speakers: Helene Embling, Jeremy (Jez) Davis, Deb Batton Facilitator: Mike Finch

Living Books: Structured networking and knowledge sharing. Featured books:

Dr Jesse Jensen-Kohl: Sounds Like Oz [Video Essay]: the Role Live Music Played in Shaping the Identity of Circus Oz
Nikki Jeffries: Social Circus
Dr Luke Hamlin: Cultural Policy
Alice Cadwell: Patternmakers Report: Circus can improve young people's mental health and foster social connections & Impact report: Spaghetti Circus
Wendy Jasper: The Work Behind the Creative Work
Carli Page: Making Aerial Arts Accessible
Zoe Joiner: Supporting the Next Generation of Circus Artists
Bonnie Blewitt & Stevee Mills: Circus that Catches Anyone
Dr Jon Burtt: Circus for Social Change
Jonathan Morgan: Circus and engineering
Charice Rust: From Graduate to Running a Circus Company

5:20pm: Day Two Wrap Up

Day Three Program

Friday 10 October

Registration (new attendees): 8:30am — 9:00am
 
Session 1:
9:00am — 11:15am

Acknowledgement of Country, Day 3 intro (MC's): Aurora Kurth and Lachlan MacDonald

Opening Act: Lucia Richardson

Circus Centre Melbourne Update: Steph Cox

Panel Discussion: Circus as pollination
In a time when international touring is increasingly unsustainable — financially, emotionally, and environmentally, this presentation proposes an alternative: a reciprocal touring model rooted in exchange, shared risk, and regenerative relationships.
Speakers: Lauren Eisinger, Heidi Irvine, Harley Mann Facilitator: Cluster Arts (Kate Malone & Debbie Wilks)

Presentation: Beyond Our Borders project

Morning Tea & Networking | 11:15am — 11:45pm

Session 2:
11:45am — 12:45pm

Panel Discussion: Circus Insured
What are the challenges facing practitioners in finding insurance? What are the challenges faced by insurance agencies? How do we find common ground?
Speakers: Frank Minniti, Hannah Trott, Amanda Lynch, Silvan Frei Facilitator: Steph Speirs

Lunch & Networking | 12:45pm — 2:00pm

Session 3:
2:00pm — 3:00pm

Panel Discussion: Access & Inclusion
As a sector, we are fond of saying that circus is for everyone - every body type, age, ability, identity. But we all know that in practice that often isn't true. What can we collectively do to adjust our mindsets and innovate what we imagine as a 'standard circus performer', to become more of the diverse and inclusive industry that we want to be? 
Speakers: Abbie Madden, Lauren Watson, Siân Brigid, Aimee Davis. Facilitator: Wendy Jasper

Afternoon Tea & Networking |  3:00pm — 3:30pm - With Street Performer Siân Brigid

Session 4:
3:30pm — 5:30pm

Panel Discussion: Circus Parenting 
It takes a village to be a working circus performer with kids. How can the circus sector be more supportive for performing artist parents.
Speakers: Jascha Boyce, Steph Cox & Tom Davis Facilitator: Christina Cox

Closing Keynote: Juliana Neves

Closing Act: Sammy George, Georgia Pozorski, Bridie Callahan

5:30pm — 6:30pm Drinks | Gathering & Networking