Continuing last year’s series of seminars on contemporary circus, this year we invite you to delve into the trajectories of contemporary circus in the Nordic countries. The seminar lecturer is Tilde Björfors, perhaps the most famous circus director in Europe, who has turned a new page in the world of Swedish circus. The open seminar will discuss the unique development of Swedish circus – from its historical origins to today’s aesthetics, institutional forms, and artistic practices. We will discuss how Nordic circus differs from the traditional model, the significance of cultural policy and education for its development, and the themes and trends that are currently shaping the field.
Tilde Björfors is a pioneer in establishing contemporary circuses in Sweden and Scandinavia, fundamentally reshaping the art form and its role in society. She is an artistic director, changemaker, and researcher who, with a beating circus heart, breaks boundaries across art, education, and organizational development—making the impossible possible. Since 1995, she has led the development of contemporary circus both artistically and educationally: founding schools, launching interdisciplinary research projects, and serving as a professor in contemporary circus. Throughout her career, she has championed playfulness, physical intelligence, and art as a form of embodied knowledge. Her artistic work has been performed around the world—at leading institutions as well as in places where art is not traditionally encountered. She has a rare ability to engage diverse audiences, and her work has opened doors into spaces where circuses had not previously been represented. Inspired by the mentality of the circus, Tilde’s hallmark is to work across borders, transform risk into possibility, and create existential, unexpected, and deeply human artistic universes.
As founder and artistic director of Cirkus Cirkör (1995-2023), her visionary leadership has nurtured generations of artists and changemakers, influencing institutions, companies, and cultural centers across the globe.
(!) The seminar is aimed at performing arts critics, professionals, students, enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of the contemporary circus field. No experience is necessary.