From March 19 to 26, 2026, the Italian contemporary circus scene will take center stage in Brussels as part of UP – Circus & Performing Arts Festival, with Focus Italia, a multifaceted program featuring performances, professional showcases, a roundtable discussion, and networking moments.
Focus Italia is conceived and promoted by the TALEA CIRCO network, with the support of Culture Moves Europe.
Programme
2984
MagdaClan – Alessandro Maida
65’ · All audiences (8+)
📍 UP — Circus & Performing Arts
19.03 at 21:00 / 20.03 at 21:00
BELLO !
Fabbrica C
67’ · All audiences (8+) · Language: French
📍 Maison des Cultures et de la Cohésion Sociale de Molenbeek
24.03 at 19:00 / 25.03 at 17:00
COSE A CASO
Compagnie Irrealista
50’ · All audiences (8+)
📍 UP — Circus & Performing Arts
23.03 at 13:00 and 21:00
24.03 at 17:30 and 20:00
25.03 at 15:00 and 19:00
Showcase
📍 UP — Circus & Performing Arts Festival
Wednesday, 25.03 at 12:00
Particular attention will be devoted to the emerging Italian authorial scene through three performance excerpts:
BAUCI – Clara Storti / Quattrox4
FINZIONI – Lupa Maimone / Oltrenotte
PIUME – Elena Burani / Dinamica
Three poetics, three dramaturgical approaches, three distinct perspectives tracing the trajectories of Italian contemporary circus.
Selected Italian Pitching Projects
De Wallen — Natalia Vallebonna
Gli Stessi — Davide Perissutti
Resistere — Eva Lunardi
A Tavola – Italian-style lunch
📍 UP — Circus & Performing Arts Festival
Wednesday, 25.03 at 13:00
Following the morning showcases, conversations will continue around a lunch inspired by Italian flavors and conviviality, offered to Focus Pro participants — an informal space to build relationships, share visions, and spark new collaborations.
Roundtable
📍 UP — Circus & Performing Arts Festival
Wednesday, 25.03 at 14:00
The Contours of Italian Contemporary Circus
Giovanna Milano, Vice-President of C.Re.S.Co
Filippo Malerba, Co-Coordinator of the Tavolo Circo C.Re.S.Co
Federico Cibin, President of A.C.C.I.
Eleonora Ariolfo, Director of Outdoor Arts Italia
Achille Zoni, President of Forum Nuovi Circhi
Martina Soragna, Director of Pagliacce Network
Adolfo Rossomando, Director of Giocolieri e Dintorni / Juggling Magazine
Roundtable moderated by Talea Circo.
During the discussion, excerpts from the documentary Sospesi, directed by Francesco Sgrò and Luca Quaia / Cordata F.O.R., will be screened.
Sospesi is the first film to offer a passionate and collective vision of the world of contemporary Italian circus: its poetics, its practices, and its protagonists.
Focus Italia is not merely a showcase, but a collective gesture: a way to express the vitality, the fragilities, and the international perspectives of Italian contemporary circus.
More information about the festival
