Upsala-Circus

What Upsala-Circus does

Upsala-Circus gGmbH is a non-profit contemporary circus organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Zeitz, Germany, operating with a core team of 7 employees. The organization runs a multi-product portfolio built on its proprietary 'Upsala-Circus Method' combining circus pedagogy with contemporary circus, documentary theater, music, and modern dance. Its core constituents are children and teenagers (under 18) — particularly those with migration backgrounds — alongside local communities in Sachsen-Anhalt and international touring audiences reached through productions such as 'Picknick' (Portugal, Spain) and 'Suitcases' (Sachsen-Anhalt tour 2025). The organization maintains three operating sites in Zeitz (Steinsgraben 39, Neumarkt 40, Wasserberg 6) and produces both free and ticketed events, with site-specific performances staged in unusual urban venues (house windows, train stations, public pools).

The business model is grant-funded and event-driven. Primary revenue streams are grants from cultural foundations and public bodies (Fonds Darstellende Künste, Land Sachsen-Anhalt, Kinderstern e.V., Global Village Projects, Bosch Parade, IKEA Leipzig/Halle), supplemented by donations (PayPal, betterplace.org crowdfunding) and modest ticket sales (e.g., €14/€8 for 'Yarns' in Berlin). Most performances are free with registration. Go-to-market is community-driven: a 'Join the Circus' program recruits youth participants, with newsletters, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, and WhatsApp used for direct outreach and audience development. The organization is GDPR-compliant (DSGVO), uses pretix for online ticketing, and runs basic web analytics (Google Analytics, Yandex Metrika, Facebook Pixel). Proprietary products include 'Circus for Rebels', 'Modern Circus', 'Circus in the City', 'Fenster (Windows)', 'Picknick', 'Suitcases', '45 Minuten', 'Faden (Yarns)', 'Große Leute', 'Zirkus Workout', and the 'RBLS / Rebels for Peace Festival'.

Name

Upsala-Circus

Legal name

Upsala-Circus gGmbH

Website

https://upsalacircus.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Upsala-Circus gGmbH is a Zeitz, Germany-based non-profit (7 employees) running contemporary circus youth programs, community performances, and touring productions across Sachsen-Anhalt and Europe, funded primarily by cultural grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)

Keywords

• Contemporary circus
• Youth circus training
• Performing arts
• Cultural education
• Community circus

Headquarters

HQ city

Zeitz

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant funding and donations: Upsala-Circus operates as a non-profit cultural organization (gGmbH) funded primarily through grants from cultural foundations and public funding bodies, plus donations from supporters.
2. Ticket sales: Some performances offer free entrance with registration, while others (like Yarns in Berlin) charge €14 for adults and €8 for children.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upsala-Circus is a non-profit contemporary circus organization that creates and performs contemporary circus productions for local communities, families, and youth. Core offerings include youth development programs (Circus for Rebels), contemporary circus performances on social themes (Modern Circus), and urban community engagement projects (Circus in the City), supported by named productions such as Fenster, Picknick, Suitcases, 45 Minuten, Faden (Yarns), and recurring events including the RBLS Festival and Große Leute urban carnival.

Product overview

Upsala-Circus is a contemporary circus organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and performances. The core offerings include: (1) Circus for Rebels - youth development programs for children and teenagers; (2) Modern Circus - artistic performances on contemporary social topics; (3) Circus in the City - urban community engagement projects. Named productions include: Fenster (Windows) - a site-specific performance about Zeitz history; Picknick (Picknic) - a family street performance; Suitcases - a physical theatre piece about migration; 45 Minuten - a youth dialogue performance; Faden (Yarns) - a young artists showcase; Große Leute - an annual urban carnival; Zirkus Workout - street culture events; and the RBLS/Rebels for Peace Festival. All offerings are unified by Upsala-Circus's unique method combining circus pedagogy with contemporary circus and art.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fenster (Windows) Site-specific circus performance staged in the windows of a house, telling the history of Zeitz city and its inhabitants from 1862 to 2023 through contemporary circus, documentary theater, music, and modern dance.
• Picknick (Picknic) Street circus performance for families, depicting scenes from the life of the fictional Abrikosov family through acrobatics, juggling, tightrope walking, and physical comedy. No dialogue; understood in any language.
• Suitcases Physical theatre performance with modern circus elements exploring migration, memories, and new beginnings. Three performers use acrobatics, juggling, and contemporary dance to tell personal stories, followed by post-performance open dialogue sessions.
• 45 Minuten Performance creating dialogue between teenagers born and raised in Germany and those who were forced to relocate and start new lives, exploring questions of identity, belonging, and importance through circus disciplines and documentary theater.
• Faden (Yarns) Circus performance by young artists aged 10-17 who have been training with Upsala-Circus since 2022. Ticketed at €14 for adults and €8 for children.
• Große Leute Urban carnival celebrating creativity, fantasy, and shared creativity. An annual city carnival in Zeitz designed with children, teenagers, families and community members, featuring performances, workshops, and costume making.
• Zirkus Workout Street culture and circus philosophy events featuring circus stations including Parkour, Cyr Wheel, Chinese Pole, Street Dance, Juggling, Slackline, Aerial Acrobatics, and Diabolo, combined with circus parade through the city.
• RBLS / Rebels for Peace Festival Annual festival celebrating modern circus, the city, and community through contemporary circus performances at various urban locations including the canal, park, swimming pool, residential buildings, squares, and train station.
• Circus for Rebels Projects and programs for children and teenagers from different backgrounds, creating opportunities for young artists aged 10-17 to develop circus skills through training and performances.
• Modern Circus Contemporary circus performances on complex and ambiguous topics relevant to the present, moving away from traditional entertainment circus formats toward artistic and socially relevant productions.
• Circus in the City Urban environment transformation projects through collaborative creative interaction between local communities and circus, aiming for positive changes in cultural and social infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• 120+ young artists actively participating in programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• Bosch ParadeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024General Partner for RBLS (Rebels for Peace) festival. Bosch Parade is a unique art event on water inspired by Hieronymus Bosch, providing significant festival partnership and support.
• Global Village ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-supporter of performances like 'Windows', supporting the production and development of contemporary circus works.
• Oblaka v PortominorGTM or Marketing PartnerTour support partner for Picknick performances in Portugal.
• Walking BCNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTour support partner for Picknick performances in Barcelona.
• Revier PionierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner and supporter shown in the partner logos section for 2022-2025.
• ZMS (Zentralhaus-Medien)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner and supporter shown in the partner logos section for 2022-2025.
• Real Labor ZekiwaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the 'Große Leute' Circus Karneval 2026, providing venue space at Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 16, Zeitz.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Compagnia Finzi Pasca: Swiss contemporary circus/theater company blending acrobatics with poetic storytelling and documentary-style narratives. Shares Upsala-Circus's fusion of circus arts with theatrical and socially resonant themes, though operating at international festival scale.
• Les 7 Doigts de la Main: Montreal-based contemporary circus troupe producing narrative shows that mix acrobatics with character-driven storytelling, touring globally. Comparable artistic positioning to Upsala-Circus's documentary-theater-meets-circus productions, though at significantly larger commercial scale.
• Circus Oz: Australian contemporary circus pioneer that, like Upsala-Circus, explicitly rejects traditional circus animals and clown tropes in favor of socially engaged contemporary work. A larger, more established comparable demonstrating the broader category Upsala-Circus operates in.
• Cirque Éloize: Canadian contemporary circus company touring internationally with narrative-driven productions. Comparable as an established touring contemporary circus entity, but commercial in scale and structure versus Upsala-Circus's non-profit model.

Direct peers

• Compagnie XY: French contemporary circus collective known for physically demanding acrobatic ensemble work. Comparable in its blend of contemporary circus aesthetics with social themes and large-ensemble touring productions, though at a significantly larger scale.
• Zirkus Cabuwazi: Berlin-based non-profit youth circus working with children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, including refugees. Shares Upsala-Circus's combination of circus pedagogy, social integration mission, and touring performance model across German cities.
• Gravity & Other Myths: Australian contemporary circus company producing ensemble acrobatic work with strong community and youth development programs. Comparable combination of high-quality contemporary circus craft and grassroots social impact orientation.
• NoFit State Circus: UK-based contemporary circus company working with community participants and producing touring ensemble shows. Comparable mission of blending contemporary circus with community engagement and site-relevant storytelling.
• Circus Schatzinsel: Berlin-based youth circus and performance organization that hosted Upsala-Circus's 'Yarns' production in 2024. Operates in the same contemporary youth circus niche serving children and teenagers with social-inclusion objectives, making it the closest direct peer in Germany.

Others

• Fonds Darstellende Künste: Major German federal fund for performing arts and a core financial partner of Upsala-Circus. Listed as an ecosystem participant/funder rather than competitor, but useful comparable for understanding the funding ecosystem the company operates within.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/upsalacircusforpeace
• Instagraminstagram.com/upsalaworld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upsala-circus

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Upsala-Circus