What Cirque Bijou does

Cirque Bijou is a Bristol-based creative production company founded in 1999 by circus performers Billy Alwen and Julian Bracey, specialising in bespoke contemporary circus, street theatre, and large-scale spectacle entertainment. The company integrates multiple circus disciplines — aerial arts, high-wire acrobatics, fire performance, and aerial carousel — with proprietary technologies including LED umbrella installations, a 20m kinetic Wheel of Energy sculpture, the FireWire ignited high-wire system, and custom LED costumes. Its services span five categories — Large Scale Shows, Touring & Theatre Shows, Immersive Experiences, Placemaking & Community Projects, and Bijou & Bespoke Shows — supported by Technology & SFX, Costume & Styling, Artists & Crew Provision, and Design & Build capabilities.

The company generates revenue through professional services billing on fully bespoke productions delivered to festivals, government bodies, corporate clients, and international agencies. Notable contracts include Take That's Circus Tour 2026, the Taiwan Lantern Festival Balance of the Cosmos (16 performances for up to 10,000 per night), Expo 2017 Kazakhstan Wheel of Energy (500+ shows over five months), and the Paisley Halloween Festival (50,000+ audiences). Complementary revenue comes from Arts Council England and Bristol City Council grants, particularly for inclusive community initiatives such as the Extraordinary Bodies partnership with Diverse City, which creates circus productions featuring disabled and non-disabled performers.

Commercially, Cirque Bijou operates a relationship-driven, sales-led go-to-market model built on direct client engagement, repeat commissions, and a curated Vimeo portfolio showcase. A small core team of 11-50 staff is supplemented by a 150+ freelance network of performers, riggers, and technicians mobilised per project. The company is privately held with no external funding, no M&A activity, and global delivery reach spanning the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Central Asia.

Name

Cirque Bijou

Legal name

Cirque Bijou

Website

https://cirquebijou.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bristol-based creative production company founded in 1999 that designs and delivers bespoke contemporary circus, street theatre, and large-scale spectacle entertainment for festivals, government bodies, corporate clients, and international agencies across the UK and overseas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Services

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management) (MPAGABAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Production Design & Art Department Services (Sets, Props, Scenic) (MPADAFAG)

Keywords

• Circus performance production
• Live event entertainment
• Outdoor spectacle production
• Aerial performance services
• Circus theatre services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Show Creation: Cirque Bijou designs, produces, and delivers fully bespoke circus and performance shows for a wide range of clients. Projects range from one-off private events to large-scale public spectacles. Revenue is earned through project fees that encompass creative development, performers, crew, technology, costumes, and production logistics.
2. Festival and Public Event Commissions: The company creates headline performances and installations for festivals (Camp Bestival, Paisley Halloween Festival, Wilderness Festival) and large public events (Queen's Platinum Jubilee Pageant, European Green Capital launch). These are typically commissioned productions with multi-day or multi-week engagements.
3. Corporate and Private Client Events: High-end bespoke performances for corporate clients (Deloitte Winter Ball, Goodwood Festival of Speed VIP Drivers' Ball, O2 Arena events) and private clients. Projects can involve detailed creative briefs, immersive storytelling, and premium production values.
4. Public Funding and Arts Council Grants: Cirque Bijou receives public funding support from Arts Council England and Bristol City Council, particularly for community-focused projects like Extraordinary Bodies and the Kitchen Circus Project. Also received Culture Recovery Fund support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cirque Bijou designs, produces, and delivers bespoke circus and live performance shows that integrate aerial arts, high-wire acts, LED technology, pyrotechnics, video mapping, and custom prop design. The company provides end-to-end production from creative development through performer casting, costume design, technical production, and show delivery for festivals, government bodies, corporate clients, and international expos. Each project is a custom-built creative production tailored to a specific brief, venue, and audience.

Product overview

Cirque Bijou is a UK-based circus and live performance company founded in 1999 that creates bespoke shows and events across multiple service categories. The company offers a portfolio of services including Large Scale Shows (outdoor spectacles with aerial and high-wire acts), Touring & Theatre Shows, Immersive Experiences, Placemaking & Community Projects, and Bijou & Bespoke Shows. Supporting these core offerings are Technology & SFX Services (LED lighting, video projection/mapping, pyrotechnics), Costume & Styling, Artists & Crew Provision, and Design & Build capabilities. Signature productions include the Umbrella Project (LED umbrella performances), Harmonic at Kew Gardens, Wheel of Energy for Expo 2017 Kazakhstan, Waldo's Circus of Magic and Terror, Balance of the Cosmos for Taiwan Lantern Festival, and Bridging the Gap for Bristol Green Capital. The company also operates the Extraordinary Bodies partnership with Diverse City focused on inclusive circus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Extraordinary Bodies: A groundbreaking partnership with Diverse City focused on diversity and inclusion in circus and outdoor arts, creating shows featuring disabled and non-disabled performers together. The project has become symbolic of change in the industry.

Products and services

• Large Scale Shows Bespoke large-scale outdoor spectacle productions featuring aerial performances, high wire acts, elaborate staging, and pyrotechnics for major events, festivals, and international expos. Scaled for audiences from thousands to tens of thousands.
• Touring & Theatre Shows Touring circus and theatre productions that travel to venues and festivals, including stadium-scale tours and theatrical performances with full production values.
• Immersive Experiences Immersive theatrical experiences and bespoke private events featuring narrative-driven performances with audience interaction and high production values.
• Placemaking & Community Projects Community-focused performances and urban placemaking projects that engage local populations in celebration, civic events, and artistic participation.
• Bijou & Bespoke Shows Intimate, tailored performances designed for specific client requirements and unique artistic visions across a range of venues and audience sizes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ audience at Paisley Halloween Festival, which Cirque Bijou has curated and produced since 2019
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Diverse CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCirque Bijou's most significant long-term partnership is with Diverse City, a diversity and inclusion champion in the arts. Together they created Extraordinary Bodies, a groundbreaking partnership that has been running since 2012. The collaboration creates circus work that centres disabled and non-disabled artists together, pioneering inclusivity in the circus and outdoor arts industry. The partnership has produced multiple award-winning shows including Human, Delicate, and Waldo's Circus of Magic and Terror.
• NutkhutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCirque Bijou and Nutkhut have co-created multiple shows together: Khoj (2016), Source (2014), and Princess and the Chickpea (2023). Princess and the Chickpea is a technicolour reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen's Princess and the Pea, featuring puppetry, Kathak, and live music. The collaboration was co-commissioned by Bula Festival, Camp Bestival Shropshire, and Newcastle Mela.
• Roald Dahl Story CompanyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCirque Bijou was invited by the Roald Dahl Story Company to collaborate on a circus inspired by Roald Dahl. This is a large-scale spectacle bringing together beloved characters from the most popular Roald Dahl stories. The project involves a stellar creative team including Olivier Award-winning director Polly Findlay and the minds behind many of Derren Brown's TV and stage illusions.
• Starlight DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStarlight Design is a long-term client and creative collaborator of Cirque Bijou, commissioning high-quality, high-production performance elements for private parties and large-scale events. They have worked together on the Goodwood Festival of Speed VIP Drivers' Ball (on behalf of the Duke of Richmond) for multiple years, as well as a spectacular Halloween private party. Starlight Design created the pyrotechnics for London 2012 and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
• Bristol City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBristol City Council has partnered with Cirque Bijou on multiple major projects including the European Green Capital 2015 launch (Bridging the Gap) and the Kitchen Circus Project. The council has provided funding and support for community-focused cultural initiatives.
• Arts Council EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Council England is a key public funder and strategic partner for Cirque Bijou, supporting both the company's core activities and the Extraordinary Bodies partnership. The Arts Council funded the 'Ambition for Excellence' grant for Extraordinary Bodies' international residency with Circus Oz, and provided Culture Recovery Fund support during COVID-19.
• Renfrewshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2019, Renfrewshire Council has commissioned Cirque Bijou to design, curate, and produce the artistic elements of the Paisley Halloween Festival. The festival has grown year on year, attracting over 50,000 people. Cirque Bijou has been invited back for four consecutive years, with the relationship described as a key annual partnership.
• Kunzberg (Frankfurt Design Agency)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCirque Bijou worked in collaboration with Frankfurt design agency Kunzberg on the design of the 20m Wheel of Energy kinetic sculpture for Kazakhstan Expo 2017.
• Adunic (Swiss Engineering)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCirque Bijou worked with Swiss engineering company Adunic on the Wheel of Energy kinetic sculpture for Kazakhstan Expo 2017, which involved highly complex interlocking cogs, chains, and moving lights.
• Travelling Light Theatre CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCirque Bijou collaborates with Travelling Light Theatre Company on the Kitchen Circus Project, pairing local artists with families to co-create performance works exploring ideas and hidden stories about home and community in Bristol.
• Knowle West Media CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCirque Bijou partners with Knowle West Media Centre on the Kitchen Circus Project, a collaboration that involves families in Bristol neighbourhoods in the co-creation of performance works.
• Bristol Old VicflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBristol Old Vic is co-producer of Waldo's Circus of Magic and Terror alongside Theatre Royal Plymouth. The show opened at Bristol Old Vic in March 2023 for its world premiere before embarking on a national tour.
• Theatre Royal PlymouthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre Royal Plymouth is co-producer of Waldo's Circus of Magic and Terror and also co-producer of the Extraordinary Bodies show Delicate. The theatre is a key UK touring partner for the company.
• Taiwan Lantern Festival / Taiwan ProducerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCirque Bijou created Balance of the Cosmos for the Taiwan Lantern Festival, working with Taiwan-based producer Yinru, local choirs, dancers, community groups (over 80 local artists and residents), and the Grace Pump Dance Crew. The festival attracts millions over two weeks and Cirque Bijou performed 16 shows for audiences of up to 10,000 per night.
• Extraordinary BodiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtraordinary Bodies is the formal partnership vehicle between Cirque Bijou and Diverse City, which has been running for over a decade. It is symbolic of change in the circus and outdoor arts industry and has been supported by Arts Council England project grants. The partnership has created multiple award-winning productions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Global incumbent and category-defining contemporary circus company producing large-scale resident shows and touring productions worldwide. Comparable on circus discipline and large-scale spectacle, but at vastly greater scale with permanent resident shows rather than bespoke commissions.
• Underbelly: UK-based live entertainment and festivals producer operating large-scale festival venues and producing cabaret, circus, and variety programming. Comparable on the festival and event production model with a broader venue-operating footprint.

Direct peers

• Stufish Entertainment Architects: London-based theatrical and entertainment design firm specialising in set, scenic, and show design for major tours, residencies, and theatrical productions. Comparable on design-and-build capability for live entertainment, particularly working with music tours (similar to Cirque Bijou's work with MUSE and Take That).
• Diverse City: UK inclusive arts company and longstanding co-creator of the Extraordinary Bodies partnership with Cirque Bijou. Comparable as a contemporary performance company focused on inclusive, participatory outdoor work.
• Walk the Plank: Manchester-based outdoor arts and spectacle company producing large-scale fireworks, pyrotechnic, and aerial performances for festivals and civic celebrations. Closely comparable on outdoor event scale and public-sector client mix.
• Gandey World Class Productions: UK circus and live entertainment production company producing touring shows, arena spectaculars, and family entertainment events. Comparable on production scale and ability to deliver arena-scale touring circus shows.
• Motionhouse: Leamington Spa-based dance-circus company creating high-impact physical theatre productions for festivals, touring, and outdoor events across the UK and internationally. Comparable in combining acrobatics, narrative, and large-scale outdoor staging.
• NoFit State Circus: Welsh contemporary circus company producing large-scale touring and outdoor circus shows with international reach. Closest UK peer to Cirque Bijou in terms of scale, contemporary circus discipline, and touring model.

Emerging players

• Fuel Theatre: UK producing theatre company supporting and touring independent contemporary performance work, including circus-adjacent productions. Comparable on the model of producing and touring ambitious small-to-mid-scale shows in the UK.
• The 1927 Company: UK performance company producing visually distinctive theatrical shows blending animation, film, and live performance. Comparable on the boutique theatrical-touring model with strong critical reception and international touring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cirquebijou
• Xx.com/cirquebijou

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cirque Bijou