The History of EYCO
As far back as1996, the seeds of the European Youth Circus Organisation (EYCO) were sown when a handful of youth circus groups came together.. Their dream of creating a European Circus Union began with the humble idea of fostering an informal, annual networking event for European Youth Circus groups. Fast forward to 2005, and the first Network of International Circus Exchange Seminar (N.I.C.E) was born in Berlin, igniting a spark that lit up cities like Paris, Tampere, Amsterdam, and London in the years that followed.
A pivotal moment came after the N.I.C.E Seminar in Amsterdam, where a dedicated working group was formed.. Comprising visionaries from Germany, France, Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and the UK, they were determined to build an official European umbrella organisation. Hence, the European Youth Circus Organisation (EYCO) emerged, founded in London in 2009. With values rooted in solidarity, equality, social citizenship, diversity, and creativity, EYCO’s mission is clear: to champion circus as an accessible and empowering tool for personal, creative, artistic, and social development. EYCO stands as the unifying force for all European Youth Circus umbrellas, extending support to those who share this inspiring vision.
