Cúpula Circus Village Festival begins this Friday
September 13, 14, and 15 in Arcozelo, Vila Nova de Gaia
The Cúpula Circus Village Festival is back for its 6th edition. This year it will take place on September 13, 14, and 15 in Arcozelo, Vila Nova de Gaia. It is a contemporary circus festival produced and organized by the National Institute of Circus Arts, in co-production with the Parish Council of Arcozelo.
As the first contemporary circus village in Portugal, it establishes a cultural and tourist route of international dimension in this territory, promoting transformative encounters and unique sharing between different audiences and artists. With a comprehensive, varied, and entirely free program, the festival grounds consist of 3 circus tents, outdoor presentation spaces, training areas, a dining zone, and even a camping area. Aimed at people of all ages, the Festival contributes to increasing the diversification and quality of the artistic offer in the national territory through the programming of high-level technical and artistic shows, giving primary emphasis to original creations and emerging artists.
The Festival also aims to positively impact the local economy and promote the parish of Arcozelo as a cultural and social development hub, thus offering a different dynamic in the daily lives of the region’s inhabitants. The major news this year includes a musical program featuring Balkan sounds, hosting the project “Bombalkanica” and, additionally, a Sunset with a live DJ at Aguda Beach.
Beyond the artistic programming, the festival intends to play an important role in training. In this sense, during the 3 days, it offers free-entry Workshops for all interested members of the public, fostering direct contact with some circus techniques. Also considering the artists, the festival provides some Master Classes with renowned professionals, allowing artists to refine their techniques.
INAC – National Institute of Circus Arts: is an international centre dedicated exclusively to the arts of circus located in Vila Nova de Famalicão. The Institute’s mission is to train artists capable of a multidisciplinary approach that ensures the emergence and affirmation of new aesthetics and to bring circus to all audiences, as well as the dissemination and implementation of contemporary circus in Portugal, providing a new offer and enriching the current cultural landscape. INAC is the first circus training structure in northern Portugal, aimed at stimulating the training of young contemporary circus artists of high technical and artistic levels. It currently hosts a core group of artists focused on creating new circus languages and their dissemination, whether through support for emerging artists or through artistic programming. In addition to risk, poetry, and humour, it is on technical excellence and virtuosity that various forms of contemporary circus rely.
The INAC team consists of programmers, artistic directors, producers, promoters, circus artists, riggers, lighting, sound, photography, and video technicians. INAC prides itself on having a team of more than 30 professionals of different nationalities: men, women, and non-binary people.
Always confirm with the concert hall or promoter the conditions of access, confirmation of the date or time, ticket place of sale, price, and availability.
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