Making Circus Accessible: a collaboration between NICA and Aspect
At NICA, we believe circus is for everyone. That means more people should have the opportunity to participate in, experience, and enjoy circus. Recently we’ve been exploring what this looks like in practice, with the generous support of Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia). NICA and Aspect have been working together to understand and explore how we can make our spaces, classes, and performances more accessible for those with autism.
Our work has taken shape through a series of initiatives at NICA, including a visual story, an exciting visit from Michael Theo, star of Love on the Spectrum, a new circus glossary, and our first relaxed performance.
Making information accessible
The first project we worked on with Aspect was a visual story for our recreational circus classes. A visual story is a guide that uses pictures and clear text to help those with autism understand what to expect in a new place or situation. Our visual story was designed to introduce people to NICA and let them know what to expect when visiting our organisation.
For people unfamiliar with circus, entering a new environment can come with a lot of questions.
What will the space look like? What will happen when I arrive? What sounds might I hear? Where will I go? What am I expected to do?
NICA’s visual story provides information to try to answer these questions by going through our organisation's environment and experience of attending a class, making the unfamiliar feel a little more predictable. It’s designed to be a practical tool for autistic participants and their families, while also teaching NICA staff how information can be communicated in an accessible way.
This project has motivated NICA to think more broadly about the information we provide and how we can reduce and remove barriers before people even walk through our doors.
Michael Theo becomes the voice of NICA’s visual story
As part of developing the visual story, NICA was delighted to welcome Michael Theo to our organisation to bring our resources to life. Michael (best known for his appearance on Love on the Spectrum and his role in Austin) became the voice of NICA’s visual story video, guiding viewers through what they can expect, should they choose to come and visit us. From arriving at the building to entering our spaces and experiencing circus, his narration keeps every detail clear, friendly, and easy to follow.
Making circus terminology easier to understand
Another new resource from the partnership is the NICA Circus Skills Glossary, suggested by Aspect to improve NICA’s accessibility.
Circus has lots of terminology and unique language related to specific apparatus, skills, and movements, all of which can be overwhelming to someone experiencing circus for the first time. For autistic people, having accessible information about possible circus phrases and activities can make a new experience feel more predictable and less overwhelming.
Our glossary breaks down common circus terms into easy-to-understand definitions, as well as images of the specific apparatus and examples of the relevant skills. It is intended to be used by attendees of a circus class, or even people who may see a circus performance who may not be familiar with the language being used.
Piloting a more accessible performance experience
Backstage of Behind The Veil, photos by Rob Blackburn
NICA’s performance spaces have also benefited from our collaboration with Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia). During our second-year ensembles Behind The Veil performance, we had the opportunity to pilot a relaxed performance for the first time. Relaxed performances provide an accessible alternative to standard theatre productions. NICA wanted to create a comfortable experience for more people, and with Aspect’s help, we explored how to apply this during performances. The performance included adjustments to lighting and sound, a more flexible approach to audience movement and noise, and access to a quiet sensory friendly room.
For NICA, this initiative was an opportunity to learn more about how we can make our performances more accessible. We were keen to put our learning with Aspect into practice, and consider new ways of thinking about our environment and services. The show was also a great opportunity for us to explore new ideas and practices in an accessible circus performance space.
The relaxed performance provided valuable insights for the NICA team, helping us identify what works, what could improve, and how these considerations can become part of future performances and circus experiences.
Thank you Aspect
Becoming more inclusive is a goal of NICA’s, and implementing accessibility practices like this was an essential first step. We are very grateful to Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia) for this partnership and for helping us learn how the team at NICA can make our organisation more welcoming and comfortable for more people.
To learn more about Aspect, follow them on social media:
Instagram @aspect_aus
Facebook @Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia)
LinkedIn @Aspect Autism Friendly @Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)
Published 29/09/26