To provide a space for artists from across Queensland, Australia, to explore their cultures through physical theatre, Circa is launching Circa Cairns, a First-Nations led performance ensemble, as well as a RISE Fund-supported initiative to bring the circus arts into communities across the greater region.

Circa, the Australian contemporary circus company, is delighted to announce the launch of CIRCA CAIRNS, a bold new chapter in its journey to explore what’s possible in circus. Circa’s new initiative creates new possibilities for circus from the nexus of culture and place. Circa Cairns is a proudly First Nations-led contemporary circus ensemble. The company’s Creative Lead is Harley Mann, a proud Wakka Wakka man and outstanding new talent as a performer, arts maker, director, and company leader. Harley is one of the first First Nations artists to graduate from the National Institute of Circus Arts. His leadership promises to create great art from the encounter of culture and place. As Harley himself stated, “Art comes from people and their stories. I’m fascinated by stories that don’t look the same, that don’t come from the same people a...