Have you heard of Young Stage? It’s an international circus festival and competition in Basel, Switzerland that focuses on kick-starting the career of young, emerging, circus artists. If you fall into that category, and are looking for a stepping stone into the professional circus industry, this opportunity might be for you! Although I am writing this article to give emerging performers advice on how to apply to for this festival in particular, the wisdom from one of the judges, a past performer, and the founder of the competition can be utilized for any type of festival application.

Photo courtesy Pablo Wünsch Blanco Nadja Hauser, founder and producer of Young Stage had this to say about their mission: “Our mission is to support young, professional artists from all over the world who have just started their careers. We give them a platform to present their performances to the public...