The Circostrada Network formally announced on 26 June in Romania that the next General Assembly of the international network for contemporary circus and public arts will take place in Santa Maria da Feira, between 19 and 21 May, 2027, within the framework of Imaginarius –Festival of Performing Arts in Public Spaces. In addition to the 180 members from 40 countries that make up Circostrada, this annual meeting will be open to all professionals in the sector registered with Imaginarius.
Circostrada has established itself today as a European network of thought, cooperation, and political influence for the performing arts in public spaces. Through knowledge production, the empowerment of its members, and ongoing dialogue with European institutions, it has played a decisive role in the valorization, professionalization, and recognition of this sector on an international scale.
The choice of Santa Maria da Feira as the location for the network’s annual General Assembly, at the Municipal Library and the António Lamoso Cinema-Theatre, takes on particular symbolic value, as it coincides with the tenth anniversary of the FRESH STREET international seminar, held in May 2017 at Europarque.
It was during this meeting, hosted by Imaginarius, that a defining moment for the sector was consolidated, marked by the formal recognition of street art as a domain of contemporary art by the Portuguese Ministry of Culture.
Ten years later, Circostrada returns to Santa Maria da Feira to revisit this journey, highlighted as a success story on a European scale, to reflect on the transformations that have taken place, and to discuss the challenges and opportunities that will mark the coming years for arts in public spaces in Europe.
The General Assembly will be preceded by the annual meeting of the BOUNCE program, a mentoring and professional development initiative promoted by Circostrada, which will take place on 18 and 19 May at the Imaginarius Creation Centre. This programme brings together experts and network members to support the development of five emerging projects selected annually through a European call for proposals. In Santa Maria da Feira, during the main meeting, the five projects that are completing their mentoring period and the five new projects that will begin the programmme will be presented to the members.
Holding the General Assembly in Santa Maria da Feira provides an opportunity to highlight the evolution of the national performing arts sector in public spaces within the European context, giving visibility to the path taken by artists, festivals, cultural structures, and professional networks over the last decade.
This will be a defining moment for the international positioning of Santa Maria da Feira in the context of performing arts in public spaces and international cultural cooperation, reinforcing the region’s affirmation as one of the main European centers for artistic reflection, programming, and experimentation in public spaces.
The choice of Circostrada recognizes the path developed by Imaginarius as a benchmark European project in artistic creation in public spaces, valuing the current positioning and vision of the Municipality, which finds in this encounter an opportunity to promote the territory among professional agents with the capacity to generate future opportunities for international collaboration.
Beyond enhancing Santa Maria da Feira’s image as a creative, transdisciplinary, innovative, and culturally dynamic city, this event will have a positive impact on the local economy through the presence of international professionals and increased visibility for the region.
