Apply to perform in front of a large audience and a top-class expert jury. Your performance will be worth while – for the winners there is the attraction of prize money, engagements by GOP Varieté Essen and by Et Cetera Varieté Bochum as well as prizes in kind from Jack Wolfskin. Artists, new generation artists, street artists and walking acts are invited!

After the great success last year, the Circus Festival at Düsseldorf Airport will be taking place for the second time on 5 December 2010. The whole departure hall in the terminal will again be used as the performing area, providing an extraordinary and impressive backdrop. Artists and groups of artists from all over the world will showcase their abilities in two competition categories and measure themselves at an international level against other artists.
In the category ‘stage artists’, in addition  to prize money from € 750 to € 1,500, there are also engagements by the GOP Varieté Essen and by Et Cetera Varieté Bochum and prizes from Jack Wolfskin, each worth €100 to be won. The stage artists will also receive a video of their performance.

In the category ‘walking acts and Street Artists’ there is prize money from €500 to €1,000 to be won as well as an engagement by the Airport Arkaden of Düsseldorf Airport and prizes from Jack Wolfskin, each worth €100. All walking acts and street artists will also have the opportunity to busk.
In addition the winners will be admitted in the pool of the ZAV artists agency of the German Bundesagentur für Arbeit in case they fulfil the qualifications.

The festival invites young artists and graduates from performing arts schools as well as street artists and walking acts of all sorts. The content is dedicated to the latest trends in circus, variety and street art. Last year the Circus Festival at Düsseldorf Airport proved to be an interesting meeting point for artists, circus artists and circus enthusiasts, with a richly varied programme showing the most diverse circus techniques.
Apply now! You’ll find details of the performance conditions for stage artists in the Registration Form Artists, for walking acts and street artists in the Registration Form Walking Acts.
We’re looking forward to your taking part in the competition!
 
Those entitled to participate

Those invited to participate are: all artists with artistic performance who are studying at a circus or performing artists’ school, have successfully completed such a course or have at least 2 years’ practical experience in professional circus and variety shows. For safety reasons, performances involving animals and fire shows are not permitted.

The final closing date for applications for artists, walking acts and street artists is 20 October 2010. The results will be announced by 2 November 2010.

Assessment criteria

• Acting and artistic ability in the performance
• Stage presence and entertainment value
• Innovation and individuality of the performance 
• Composition and creativity. Mask, costume, properties (walking acts)
  

Competition performances

The competition entries will then be performed as part of a public festival on a large stage in the departure hall at Düsseldorf airport. Walking acts and street artists will have separate performing areas.  A jury of experts will assess the live performances according to the selection panel’s criteria and will award the following prizes:

Prizes:

In the category Stage Artistry:
1st place: €1,500
2nd place: €1,000
3rd place: €750


Special ‘Engagement’ prizes GOP Varieté
(courtesy of GOP Varieté Essen)
GOP Varieté Essen is awarding three Special Prizes for outstanding performances and the winner will have the chance to appear on stage at GOP Varieté.

Special ‘Engagement’ prize Et Cetera Varieté
(courtesy of Et Cetera Varieté Bochum)
Et Cetera Varieté is awarding one Special Prize for outstanding performances and the winner will have the chance to appear on stage at the Et Cetera Varieté in one of the next programs.

Special ‘Engagement’ prize Airport Arkaden
(courtesy of Airport Arkaden Düsseldorf International)
Airport Arkaden is awarding one Special Prize for outstanding performances and the winner will get an engagement in course of an event at Düsseldorf International in 2011.

Special Prizes ‘in kind’
(courtesy of Jack Wolfskin)
Jack Wolfskin is making available 7 vouchers each worth €100. Participants in the competition will have the chance of immediately redeeming these in the shop at Düsseldorf Airport .


In the category Walking Acts & Street Artistry:

1st place: €1,000
2nd place: €700
3rd place: €500
Special ‘Engagement’ prize Airport Arkaden
(courtesy of Airport Arkaden Düsseldorf International)
Airport Arkaden is awarding one Special Prize for outstanding performances and the winner will get an engagement in course of an event at Düsseldorf International in 2011.

Special ‘Material’ Prizes
(courtesy of Jack Wolfskin)
Jack Wolfskin is making available 7 vouchers each worth €100. Participants in the competition will have the chance of immediately redeeming these in the shop at Düsseldorf Airport .

Further special prizes are being planned ...

Expert jury
Ware in discussion with representatives of the artists and Varieté scene to determine the composition of the expert jury. Anna B. Köllmann of the ZAV – Artists Agency in Cologne , Silvia Cabello, director of Et Cetera Varieté Bochum, Christian Tietz, consultant, Matthias Peininger, director of GOP Varieté Essen, and Christian Eggert, artist agency owner and stage director have already agreed to serve as juror. In addition Frédéric Zipperlin/ Boul will join the jury as artist and director of Cirque Buffon.


Travel, meals and accommodation

• Support with travel expenses: up to 400km: € 50 for 100 km, a further €75 for each additional 100 km up to a maximum of €650 

• Food and drink at the festival venue by means of catering vouchers

• Accommodation: one night’s hotel accommodation in the Sheraton Düsseldorf Airport Hotel will be provided for artists travelling more than 300km.

Festival Programme on 5.12.2010 (planned):
9.00 - 11.00 am        Competition participants arrive
11.00 am - 5.00 pm    Circus competition and performances by the walking acts and street artists
5.00 - 5.30 pm        Dismantling of equipment; jury in session
5.30 pm            Awards ceremony &  closing party for competition winners

Setting up and rehearsals on 4.12.2010 (essential for stage artists)


Registration
Registration for the competition is now open. Registration including the supplementary registration forms must be received by15 / 08 Entertainment by 20 October 2010 at the latest.

Contact
15 / 08 Entertainment GmbH
Berrenratherstrasse 188 b
50937 Cologne
Germany

Competition contact person
Jenny Patschovsky
email: zirkus-festival@1508entertainment.de

Subject to change. Circumstances might arise whereby changes are made to the information given above. Please check with this website for the latest state of affairs.