Circus Maximus – Theatre mycelium

Circus Maximus is an open, artist-led community, performance theatre and artist support network that provides a space for experimentation and support for underrepresented artistic voices and ideas with a specific focus on locality and site-specific work.

Circus Maximus is a space-less theatre: each production seeks a space or environment that suits its needs. The theatre spreads like mycelium and constantly takes on new forms.

Productions take place in cities, on the countryside, in backyards, caves, parking garages, theatre buildings, at beaches, stages, piers, bars, fields, forests, commercial buildings, public spaces, commercial spaces, indoors, outdoors or online.

Founded in 1997 and based in Helsinki, Circus Maximus has a broad reach across the performing arts and constantly stretches the boundaries of the genre. Its repertoire includes theatre, dance, performance, poetry, music, sound, publications, exhibitions, installations and film. At the heart of the artistic programme are the search for new artistic expressions and forms and a diversity of artistic voices and makers.The pieces are produced in collaboration with a variety of groups, entities, and individual creators. We all need new forms of collaboration, new mycelia, that bind the parts together.

The theatre's operations and artistic direction are overseen by the board elected by the association's members. Curatorial decisions are made by the curator and are finalised at the beginning of the preceding year.