NICA comes from humble beginnings in an un-renovated warehouse in Melbourne’s Docklands, wherein, a pilot national training project commenced in 1999. All eight participants of the project graduated in 2001 with a Diploma of Circus Arts from Swinburne University and found employment with Australian companies the following year.
The organisation has grown significantly since, having attained accreditation for the delivery of Certificate IV in Circus Arts, and training artists to meet the demands of the growing local and global circus arts industry.
NICA is a national not-for-profit arts training institute and registered cultural organisation, primarily funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Communications and the Arts. We are one of eight elite arts training organisations that comprise the Arts8, and members of the Federation of European Circus Schools (FEDEC).
As well as providing professional tertiary education, NICA offers a wide range of recreational courses for children to adults, operates a premier circus talent agency, NICA Represents, and supports the circus industry through professional development opportunities and masterclasses.
NICA has entered into a new educational partnership with Collarts (Australian College for the Arts), which accredits our Bachelor of Circus Arts program and provides overarching academic and quality guidance and regulation.
Our VET programs will continue to be delivered in partnership with Swinburne University in 2025, before transitioning to Collarts in 2026.
NICA has played a vital role in the evolution of the circus industry and, in turn, in the recognition of Australian circus on the global stage. Many of the key artists in Gravity & Other Myths honed their skills through their studies at NICA. This elite education institution is one of a kind in Australia and essential to continued growth and innovation in the arts sector, ensuring Australia cements its place as an internationally recognised leader in contemporary circus. – Jascha Boyce, Co-Director, Gravity & Other Myths.
An institute like this (NICA) raises the standard of circus in Australia and helps it move from a low art to a high artform. – Bede Nash, Bachelor of Circus Arts graduate (2016).
Our staff
NICA boasts some of the world’s finest circus and performance practitioners, hailing from Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, England, France, and Russia. They provide students with a grounding in the world’s traditional and contemporary circus styles and inspire them to excel in and innovate their craft. Together with the school’s dedicated teams of production, health, and administration professionals, they produce a unique educational experience for NICA’s students.
Fifty percent of NICA staff are Alumni, returning to home base after forging successful performance careers, eager to share their knowledge with the next generation of circus artists. Staff have worked with some of the greatest circus companies in the world including Circus Oz, Circus Royale, Cirque du Soleil, Great Moscow Circus, Legs on the Wall, Circa, and Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe. NICA performance seasons also see 100+ creatives and production crew employed each year.
NICA is proud to support careers and provide employment opportunities to circus artists long after they’ve decided to hang up the trapeze.
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We rely on donations to enhance the educational journey of our students, supporting scholarships, sponsorships, the engagement of international directors, and the execution of impactful outreach programs. NICA is a not-for-profit organisation, proudly supported by:
