To understand the current challenges that the circus and outdoor arts face in the Baltics, some historical context should be explained. While most countries have the romantic story of artists that came to create circus shows on stage and then found supporters that evolved structures and festivals around them, the Baltic region, especially Lithuania had it in a very reversed way. The occurrence of international festivals that presented carefully curated programs to the Baltic audiences have put considerable pressure on local artists to rapidly meet the international standards.

Concentrating on Lithuania, lack of a space, dedicated to circus or dance, has led some of the artists to try and perform in an outdoor context. In the 35 years of independence no new state institution has been established for the performing arts. We have more than 20 state theaters that work specifically with spoken word theater, yet there is no state organization to oversee the sectors of dance or circus and support their development.

Nevertheless, some NGOs have taken upon themselves the function of developing the dance and circus sectors: with the Lithuanian Dance Information Centre responsible for the former and Teatronas for the latter.

The aforementioned lack of dedicated professional spaces has created space for festivals that curate their program in unconventional spaces - a gateway for Baltic artists to outdoor arts. Creating for the outdoor in the Baltics has one main challenge - weather. But in spite of that, even though the number of local creations is not vast compared to other Western Europe countries, Lithuania has two international festivals, specifically dedicated to outdoor creations (Šermukšnis, SPOT) and one that curates for unconventional spaces (ConTempo).

There is a logic behind the Baltic countries collaborating or considering themselves as one creative unit in the European context. Latvia has the space Lithuania lacks - Riga Cirks owns the oldest circus building in Europe (that was a circus the whole period of its existence), Estonia has a long lasting tradition of having youth circuses (and artistically strong ones) and you can meet an Estonian artists across the European circus schools or the professional scene.

Each country's strength complements the others' shortages. Latvia’s building is Lithuania’s dream, Latvia’s youth circus school strives to be as the Estonian one, Estonia has no circus oriented festivals, which Latvia has one and Lithuania - two. The pendulum of activities continues to swing: Latvia has no local professional artists currently residing in the country, but has ability to program foreign artists; Estonia has no circus producers and that creates additional tension on the artists who try and do both; Lithuania has no place for their artists to train or create, but creates possibilities for the local shows to be presented abroad.

Despite the challenges of lacking dedicated spaces, a national residency program, and a large number of professional artists, I would argue that the contemporary circus scene in the Baltics is currently thriving.

During the Lithuanian Culture Season in France three new premieres have been presented in Circa, Auch, having a residency at a French organization beforehand; the Baltic showcase in Estonia Epicirq has been granted a Creative Europe grant and could secure a more sustainable international representation for selected projects; two circus shows have got four nominations in the Lithuanian National Theatre awards The Golden Stage Cross; the Lithuanian and Latvian company Art for Rainy Days have got four nominations and two awards in Latvia’s Dance Awards and slowly are building a quite successful international tour; after a presentation of a show in Jacksons Lane, Teatronas is collaborating with several UK venues to have a Baltic dance and circus (outdoor and indoor) Season in the UK; plans have been made for a Lithuanian Culture Season in Germany, promising further opportunities.

Will a bigger international visibility contribute to the appearance of more professional artists in the Baltics or solve the lack of spaces and work opportunities for local artists? Only time will tell. What brings comfort is that the problems are very much articulated and - benchmarking similar histories from other countries - without a sustainable governmental or municipal support will stay articulated only in theory. Yet what proves itself time and time again is that we are talking about extremely international artforms. And since almost all of the main actors from the circus and outdoor fields are members of an international network (Circostrada or the Baltic Nordic Circus Network), there is a very healthy mindset that encourages international collaboration.

All that your country lacks – your partner might have. And it might be of their interest, priority or even funding strategy to help you in your need.

Photo: © Donatas Ališauskas.

Gildas Aleksa

Gildas Aleksa is the artistic director of Teatronas - one of the main organisations in Lithuania that strategically develops the field of contemporary circus in the country and the Baltic region. Program curator of the international contemporary circus festival 'Cirkuliacija'. Educated as a theatre director he directs theatre and circus shows in independent and state theatres, consulting and mentoring several artists with dramaturgy, directing and self-producing.