Circa Contemporary Circus’s 2025 annual report posts biggest year in company history

Brisbane-based Circa Contemporary Circus has recorded its strongest financial and artistic performance since its founding, with $10.1 million in turnover, 210,804 audience members across 17 countries, and a 37 per cent increase in export income in its 2025 annual results.

Released today, Circa’s 2025 Annual Report sets new records across every dimension of the company’s work, with the largest audience and turnover in its history alongside three world premieres that drew critical acclaim across four continents.

 

 

The audience figure is more than double Circa’s 2022 reach, reflecting growth from approximately $5 million to over $10 million in revenue over the past seven years. Performance income totalled $5.7 million, including $5 million from international seasons, and the company invested $5 million in wages for artists and arts workers. Against a sector navigating significant financial pressures, Circa’s commercially diversified model, built on international touring and coproduction partnerships, returned the company to surplus.

QUOTE: ANN SHERRY AO, CHAIR:

Circa’s 2025 Annual Report highlights the company’s most successful year to date, with record audiences, turnover and a positive financial result that returns the company to surplus. In 2025 we reaffirmed that Circa is the national arts organisation that represents Australia to the world more than any other.

Ann Sherry AO, Chair, Circa A year of new work and global reach Circa delivered 429 live performances across 96 cities. Wolfgang in the Stars premiered at QPAC, drawing 8,691 people and winning the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Production for Children.

 

 

Daphnis and Chloé, created for the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, was described as “powerful, beautiful stuff” by The Guardian. The Art of Fugue, a collaboration with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and its Artistic Director Paul Dyer AO, toured Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to “unforgettable” reviews.

Humans 2.0 delivered 103 performances to 41,443 people across France, the USA, Australia, Germany and Taiwan. Wolf, co-produced with Berlin’s Chamäleon Theatre, reached 36,566 audience members across 142 performances in Europe, Canada and Australia.

 

 

Duck Pond completed Circa’s most extensive regional Australian tour to date, visiting more than 30 cities and towns. Orpheus and Eurydice, presented with Opera Australia and the Edinburgh International Festival, played to 16,162 people. Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show drew 16,556 audiences in its European premiere at Aviva Studios Manchester.

2025 at a glance

• $10.1M Turnover (gross income)
• 210,804 Audience members worldwide
• 429 Live performances
• 17 Countries toured outside Australia
• 96 Cities toured
• 3 World premieres
• 37% Export income growth (2024 to 2025)
• $5M Investment in wages (artists and arts workers)
• 136 Touring workshops delivered
• 1,250 Hours of workshops and class

Community and engagement

Circa Cairns, the company’s First Nations-led ensemble in Far North Queensland, delivered more than 105 workshops across 17 communities including Lockhart River, Woorabinda, Bamaga and Cherbourg, engaging 1,204 participants. The Wet toured from Cairns to Victoria, and The Dry returned to open-air performance at Bondi. Circa Cairns is supported by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation. Circability, Circa’s inclusive social circus programme, ran workshops for people of all ages and abilities, while Circa Academy delivered 650 workshops and classes to 6,091 attendances spanning early childhood through preprofessional training.

 

 

QUOTE: YARON LIFSCHITZ, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CEO:

What truly captures the impact of the year is the breadth and reach of our program, where we toured challenging and ambitious works to more people than ever before,extending our audiences and our own capacity. Circus that moves the world. That is what we are aiming for.

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