The Russian-Ukrainian war makes it impossible to hold the Yaskrava Arena Dnipra International Youth Circus Festival in Ukraine, so at the request of Festival Director Olga Oblasova, the Capital Circus of Budapest will be hosting the event on January 2 and 3, 2023.

“You get to know each other in trouble. Caring for each other and supporting each other are among the basic messages of the circus arts. It is important that this [support] can be measured not only in words but also in actions, which is why we offer a helping hand now. Our crew is ready to jump in,  even though we are in an intensive production period at the Capital Circus.  We have decided not to turn our backs on those in need of help,” says Péter Fekete, general director of the Capital Circus of Budapest.

The Yaskrava Arena Dnipra festival was launched in 2010 by the Ukrainian NGO Bright Country. The event was held every year in December, on the eve of Christmas, at the Dnipro State Circus. Over the years, more than 1,000 student artists from all regions of Ukraine, as well as from Lithuania, Hungary, Germany, Moldova, and Poland, have participated in the festival. The festival jury was headed each year by Lyudmila Shevchenko, director of the Ukrainian National Circus, with members including directors, producers, and excellent circus artists.

Winners of the Yaskrava Arena Dnipra festivals regularly advance to the prestigious international festivals in France, Spain, and Italy. Since 2020, the festival program has included the circus theater performance Night at the Circus, comprised of experimental performances by young artists. The 2023 production of Night at the Circus is based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novel The Little Prince.

“The war stopped the circus festival, but it didn’t stop the young artists and teachers from fulfilling their dreams,” comments Director Olga Oblasova. “The Capital Circus of Budapest is very happy to lend a helping hand so that the tradition of the Yaskrava Arena Dnipro is not interrupted. This year, students from circus schools in the regions of Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhya; three productions of the Baross Imre Artist Training Academy from Hungary; and student artists from Switzerland, Italy, and Mexico will participate in the competition. We are grateful for the hospitality and support of the Capital Circus.”

Original news source: OrientPress