Industry Event: Circus Change-Up Conference 2026

In response to calls from the sector locally and nationally for more opportunities to gather, exchange, share news and support each other, we are making the Circus Change-Up conference an annual event!

Join us on 31st October at Circomedia 10-5.30pm. Tickets are free and lunch will be provided. The day will include screenings of international short-form circus films and contributions from Equity South West branch including a short workshop and Q&A around insurance.

Do you have news or a challenge or opportunity to share? We want to shape this day so that it is nourishing and useful for all those attending. We want to speak with people from across the sector about how the conference can make a difference. Please get in touch with [email protected] if you'd like to contribute or see something feature in the day.

The programme proposal so far..

10:00 Optional physical session stretch and self massage with Maddie McGowan OR coffee in the bar!

10:45 End of physical session

11:00 Welcome and overview of the day

11:10 Human Bingo: meet as many people as possible in a short space of time

11:25 What’s Happening: Newsround, Updates & Knowledge Sharing (5 mins each max)

* Equity South West and Equity Circus Network update \ * New Circus Degree in West Midlands\ * Circus Connect West Midlands update\ * Deaf Leadership in Circus - 2026 Visual Feats report\ * Olga Kaleta shares her documentary film - The process of Integrating BSL in Period Drama \ * Bristol Circus Census findings and The Bristol-Made Directory \ * Circus Connect South-West \ * Citrus Arts Artworkers Project\ * an celebratory update from Above and Beyond
- Invisible Circus news
- Verena Cornwall circusfutures

12:20 Tea Break 

12:35 The Solutions Lab: Troika. A peer coaching exercise - bring a challenge and find solutions together!

13:05 Gather themes for Working Groups - Offers will include an Insurance Q&A/discussion with Equity & Circus Connect Wales.

13:15  Lunch

14:10 “My Own Box” by Alice Rende, a short film by Filip Jacobson for FEDEC's Take Care project

14:20 Working Groups Part 1 (on themes gathered before lunch)

15:00 Switch over

15:05 Working Groups Part 2

15:45 Plenary -  Share key points & actions

16:05 Commitments and agreed actions

16:15 Plenary ends. Networking continues. 

16:20 Circus & Film Network Shorts 2026 screenings

17:30 End