Circus Factory is so excited to host the Shared Island Youth Exchange as part of Pitch'd Circus and Street Arts Festival 2026.

Shared Island Initiative connects young circus artists across the island of Ireland through youth exchanges and key events. The initiative will create opportunities for young people from youth circus organisations north and south of the border to meet, collaborate, and build lasting connections through shared training, creative workshops, and participation in major circus events.

Young circus artists from across the island of Ireland will come together in 2026 as part of a new programme of Shared Island Youth Exchanges supported by the Shared Island Initiative and delivered through the ISACS Network.

Two flagship exchanges will take place in 2026:

• Carnival of Colour in June hosted by In Your Space Circus
• Pitch’d Circus and Street Arts Festival in August hosted by Circus Factory

Circus Explored is supported by the Creative Ireland Programme in the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and under the government’s Shared Island Initiative in the Department of the Taoiseach. Led by ISACS in partnership with Circus Factory Cork Cloughjordan Circus Club, Dublin Circus Project, Galway Circus, Circusful (Belfast), and In Your Space Circus (Derry).