Circa is marking its 21st anniversary with a significant donation to the Australian Performing Arts Collection, its first contribution to Australia's largest performing arts archive.
The Brisbane-based company, one of the world’s most acclaimed circus troupes, has donated a collection of intricate costumes, circus props and a set model selected for their cultural significance to both Circa and Australia’s performing arts history.
The donation coincides with Circa’s triumphant return to Arts Centre Melbourne with their internationally acclaimed production Humans 2.0.
Circa at Arts Centre Melbourne
- Humans 2.0
- Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse
- Until 24 May, 2025
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Circa’s inclusion in the collection is long overdue according to Australian Performing Arts Collection curator Ian Jackson, who specialises in circus history and preservation.
“Up until now, Circa hasn’t been represented in the collection and that has felt like a missed opportunity,” he said. “The objects we’ve now acquired from Circa are a representation of various productions that have been performed around the world, across their incredible 20-year history.
“While circus is one of the more popular performing arts genres, it often has less recorded history. This makes the Australian Performing Arts Collection’s task of preserving the history of circus in Australia that much more important. As Australia’s national circus archive, we couldn’t be more thrilled to be adding some part of Circa’s achievements to the Australian Performing Arts Collection.”
The acquisition process was a close collaboration with the Circa team. Circa’s Head of Design and Engagement, Libby McDonnell and Artistic Director and CEO, Yaron Lifschtiz asked the Circa team which objects and costumes they thought best told the company’s story.
Highlights of the donation include costumes from acclaimed production Carnival of the Animals, two clown noses – surprisingly the first in the collection – and sparkling red stilettos from the groundbreaking act Heels, which featured in Circa’s breakthrough production The Space Between.
This initial donation represents the beginning of an ongoing collecting partnership, with a second acquisition planned later this year that will include archival posters and photography.
The acquisition is particularly meaningful for Arts Centre Melbourne, as the site now occupied by the Theatres Building and Hamer Hall saw various travelling circuses between 1877-1963, including Wirth’s Olympia, the only permanent circus venue in Australia until the 1950s.
The Australian Performing Arts Collection was named the official national archive to the circus industry in 1990 and now houses more than 850,000 objects preserving Australia’s dance, music, opera, theatre and circus heritage.
Circa’s donation follows last week’s announcement of the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA), a new museum at Arts Centre Melbourne set to open in December.
Circa’s Humans 2.0 is now presenting at Arts Centre Melbourne until 24 May. Tickets available here. The Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) will open in December.
