The Circus Space

The National Centre for Circus Arts (formerly the Circus Space), is a professional circus school in the Hoxton area of London that offers one of the UK's only university degree programmes in circus. It is a leading centre for contemporary circus training. It supports the professional development of circus performers and circus companies and runs youth and adult evening classes every week. It also runs the London Youth Circus.

It was established in 1989 by Jonathan Graham with a number of other volunteers in a former timber yard in North Road, London (now the site of the Pleasance Theatre). From the outset it has provided support for professional performers through practice time, devising space, company support and putting on shows, including the Circus Space Cabaret, plus an adult evening programme and a youth programme.

In 1994 it moved to Shoreditch Electric Light Station, a former power station, in Hoxton, starting a BTEC "National Diploma in Performing Arts (Circus)" in 1995 which ran to 1999. In 1998 it designed and delivered the tailor-made training programme for the 87 aerial artists who performed in the Millennium Show at the Millennium Dome. In 1999 it started to run a BA (Hons) two-year intensive course in "Theatre Practice - Contemporary Circus" in association with the Central School of Speech and Drama. The Foundation and Ba(Hons) degrees are now validated by the University of Kent (see below). Until recently, it was the only place you could achieve a degree in circus arts in the UK. However, in September 2014, Circomedia in Bristol launched a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Circus and Physical Performance, accredited by Bath Spa University.

The Circus Space was instrumental in the creation and development of The Generating Company.

In 2012 Circus Space - now the National Centre for Circus Arts - ran an eight-week intensive training programme for 42 deaf and disabled artists, preparing them to perform featured roles in the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford on 29 August 2012. Some of those artists who prepared for the spectacular high-wire act in the Paralympics Opening Ceremony at the Olympics 2012 included injured soldiers.

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