The third iteration of the Circus Festival of Abidjan is taking place March 2nd to the 8th 2020 in the Ivory Coast of Western Africa. We spoke to Festival organizers about this event which has shaped up to be the largest circus event in the West African sub-region, offering both shows and 60 hours of workshops in schools. Organized and run exclusively by volunteers, the Festival receives support from The European Union, and the French Institute as well as local sponsors contribute to the sustainability of the Festival.

Traditional Group Two free street shows are offered in partnership with the European Union with the goal to reach as wide an audience as possible and to bring the circus as close as possible to the population. RICA is above all a popular festival accessible to all, where artists rub shoulders with the public and vice versa. The Festival is the brainchild of Chantal Djédjé, an essential figure in the cultural life of Abidjan. After leading a long career as a cultural entrepreneur in France, Chantal Djédjé decided...