Future Focus Fund
Invest in the Future of Circus - Invest in the Future of Human Possibility
For over two decades, NICA has been a sanctuary for wonder, courage, and artistic excellence. From our humble beginnings in an unrenovated warehouse in Melbourne’s Docklands, we have grown into one of only 16 institutions in the world offering tertiary circus training, and one of just four in the world where a student can earn the specific title Bachelor of Circus Arts.
Today, more than 40 emerging artists train full-time in our Prahran purpose-built facility, stepping daily into the disciplined joy of becoming creative leaders, innovators, and cultural ambassadors for Australia and the world.
Keep reading to learn more about how you contribution to this fund can make a real difference.
Why Your Gift Matters
NICA is a national not-for-profit arts training institute and registered cultural organisation, only partially funded by the Australian Government. We rely on the generosity of supporters to deliver our world-class programs, and are the only organisation in the Southern Hemisphere to offer accredited tertiary training in Circus Arts.
As well as providing professional tertiary education, NICA offers a wide range of recreational courses for children to adults and supports the circus arts industry through professional development opportunities and masterclasses.
When you contribute to the NICA Future Fund, your money becomes an instrument of transformation. This fund goes into enhancing the caliber of education and environment we can offer to our students and community.
It helps us:
Spark innovation - supporting the creation of new shows, new forms, and new possibilities in contemporary circus.
Bring international circus visionaries to our students- so they may learn from global leaders and carry Australian creativity onto the world stage.
Expand the horizons of education - ensuring our students have access to the tools, resources, and experiences that let them train, dream, and excel at the highest international standards.
We invite you to give not from obligation, but from a sense of alignment- with your values, your belief in human potential, and your desire to be part of something that changes lives.
The Future is Now
A recent success story - what your funding can do:
For $20 000, we were able to purchase a winch system which uses updated technology. This single yet significant piece of equipment is creating safer and more efficient protocols for our riggers. They are now able to lower in to check and change truss in a faster and more controlled manner, maintaining a high industry standard and enhances our ability to train other riggers on new technology.
Some future tangible outcomes we could achieve together include:
5-10k enables us upgrade our production department with the latest rigging and equipment.
25-40k could fund NICA's own outdoor rig, to expand the horizons of shows we can produce with students and alumni.
1-2 mil can expand and renovate our entire circus-specific facility to add performance spaces and classrooms, improving the opportunities available to the circus sector.
A Community of Connection
At NICA, our work is rooted in connection: between trainer and student, between art and audience, between discipline and imagination.
Through initiatives such as NICA Connects, we continue to build resourceful grassroots partnerships that support our students, alumni, and the schools that feed into our programs.
Your support strengthens these networks, expanding the reach and impact of contemporary circus across Australia.
Join us in shaping what’s possible.
Other ways to Give
Bespoke Support
Empower our students with the kind of support that you personally value. Whether it be a professional skill you can share with us, grocery shopping vouchers, contributions to our non-perishable student pantry, specific financial aid, or even securing show tickets for a student that will greaten their industry exposure - every contribution makes a meaningful impact on our students' lives.
Connect with us to set up customised support.
Get in Touch