BrandStory

Brand Story

A New Chapter for Contemporary Circus in Taiwan

Founded in 2011, FOCASA Circus is Taiwan’s first professional contemporary circus company, dedicated to advancing the art of contemporary circus. Since 2017, the troupe has been recognized for nine consecutive years by the National Culture and Arts Foundation as a recipient of the “TAIWAN TOP Performing Arts Group” grant program. FOCASA positions itself as a joyful and dream-filled circus home, championing the values of courage, sharing, and hope through circus arts. The troupe integrates creation, curation, and talent development to foster a sustainable and thriving circus ecosystem in Taiwan. Presenting around 100 performances annually, FOCASA has toured 30 countries and 100 cities worldwide, appearing at major international platforms including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Festival OFF Avignon. Its work has earned recognition from audiences and arts professionals both in Taiwan and abroad.

Defining a Distinctive Circus Language

FOCASA’s work blends traditional Asian acrobatics, the experimental spirit of contemporary circus, and the narrative aesthetics of modern theatre, creating a distinctive Taiwanese circus language rooted in diversity, integration, and innovation. Since 2017, FOCASA has collaborated with theatre directors, choreographers, visual artists, and other creators, bringing new artistic perspectives and working methods into circus through interdisciplinary exchange. To date, FOCASA has created 20 productions spanning theatres, circus tents, and outdoor spaces—from family-friendly shows to experimental interdisciplinary works—continuously expanding the possibilities and boundaries of contemporary circus in Taiwan.

Asia’s Largest Circus Arts Festival

In 2023, FOCASA launched Taiwan’s first circus arts festival, bringing together 30 companies from eight countries and attracting 80,000 visitors over seven days. The second edition moved to Kaohsiung and expanded significantly, featuring three circus tents and welcoming 250,000 visitors. Its remarkable scale showcased the growth of contemporary circus in Taiwan and impressed international artists with the emergence of such a major circus festival in Asia.

Beyond the Stage: A Circus Ecosystem

To strengthen Taiwan’s circus ecosystem, FOCASA focuses on three key areas: education and outreach, artist development, and circus media. Since 2017, its Circus in Schools program has reached more than 500 schools, introducing circus arts to younger generations and nurturing future audiences. FOCASA also supports emerging Taiwanese circus artists through training, residencies, resource sharing, and creative collaborations, providing a platform for artistic exploration and development. In 2020, FOCASA launched Do Circus, a quarterly publication documenting circus in Taiwan and around the world while sharing industry insights and professional knowledge.