3 international magazines
1 year of circus architecture
7 case studies
7 perspectives

Dear Audience,
we proudly present the second edition of IMAC. Unique in its design, this Inter-Magazine Circus Festival brings together 3 international circus magazines and 7 students from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, who share their thoughts on circus architecture. The analysis of historical and contemporary circus buildings is thereby used as a starting point for discussions on broader issues concerning artistic, social, cultural, and historical interrelations. The exchanges that took place during the international conference New Circus. New Architectures at Latitude 50 in November 2024 offered a source of inspiration.

The student’s diverse backgrounds—ranging from literature, journalism, comics studies, visual arts or cultural studies —bring unique perspectives, whether familiar with the art form or newcomers. They are united by a curiosity for performing arts, which led them to the MA Arts du spectacle program, offering exposure to various art forms, including the circus. As part of the Circus | Studies, an interdisciplinary and international research project, theatre students explore circus dramaturgy, collaborate with emerging artists, and engage in performance analysis and critique. Their experiences culminate in MA theses or articles like the following.

I now invite you to join our round-trip to a variety of circus venues and to let yourself be carried away by the thoughts of our authors. Consent, criticism, questioning – all of this is welcome!

A special thanks to Latitude 50, Around About Circus, Juggling Magazine, StageLync, and the INCAM network, for making this festival possible.

Kind regards,

Franziska Trapp