The National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) is a government-accredited tertiary-level
circus school
Circus schools are institutions that offer professional and sometimes degree-level training in various circus skills such as acrobatics, aerial arts, object manipulation, and other specialized physical skills. The rise of the circus school as a ...
in Australia, located in
Prahran, Victoria
Prahran ( , also colloquially or ), is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the City of Stonnin ...
.
History
NICA was established in 1995 by
Swinburne University of Technology
The Swinburne University of Technology (or simply Swinburne) is a public university, public research university in Melbourne, Australia. It is the modern descendant of the Eastern Suburbs Technical College established in 1908, renamed Swinburne ...
after a study revealed there was enough demand for a national body.
The first course, a Diploma of Circus Arts, began in 1999 with eight participants from an unrenovated warehouse at
Docklands. In 2001, the first Bachelor of Circus Arts course was offered with 23 students entering the course and the first degrees being conferred in 2003.
In 2005, the institute moved into the new $10 million NICA National Circus Centre at the Prahran campus of Swinburne University, funded by the Australian Government, Swinburne and the
Pratt Foundation.
As of 2026, NICA will be partnering with
Collarts to ensure their Circus Arts education remains intact, Collarts will continue with the accreditation of the course and will deliver academic regulation and guidance. Throughout 2025, NICA will begin transitioning from their partnership with Swinburne and begin delivering their VET courses with Collarts.
Description
NICA is the only government-accredited
tertiary education
Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education.
The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
al institution that provides professional training in contemporary
circus arts in Australia. It is a subsidiary of
Swinburne University of Technology
The Swinburne University of Technology (or simply Swinburne) is a public university, public research university in Melbourne, Australia. It is the modern descendant of the Eastern Suburbs Technical College established in 1908, renamed Swinburne ...
and is based at the university's
Prahran
Prahran ( , also colloquially or ), is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Stonnington local government area. Prahran recorded a population ...
campus.
NICA is one of eight "national elite training organisations" of the "
Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence" (ARTS8), partially funded by the
Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the federal government, is the national executive government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The executive consists of the pr ...
via the
Office for the Arts
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (DITRDCSA), previously Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA) is a department ...
.
Courses
The institute's core training offering is a three-year Bachelor of Circus Arts. It also offers a Diploma of Circus Arts, an Advanced Diploma of Circus Arts, and a number of workshops and short courses.
In 2010, it offered a Certificate III in Circus Arts for students combining their circus training with their final two years of secondary school, with academic provider
VCA Secondary School. It also offered Certificate IV in Circus Arts, a one-year program in basic Circus Skills, suitable for school-leavers (18 years or older).
In 2011, there were 60 enrolled students.
See also
*
Cirkidz
*
Flying Fruit Fly Circus School
The Flying Fruit Fly Circus School is the only primary and secondary-level circus school in Australia. It was founded in 1987 as the educational arm of The Flying Fruit Fly Circus.
The school was originally located on the grounds of Wodonga Hi ...
*
National Centre for Circus Arts (United Kingdom)
References
External links
*
Circus in Australia at the Australian culture and recreation portal
{{Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence
Circus schools
Educational institutions established in 1995
Performing arts education in Australia
Education in Melbourne
Philip Cox buildings
1995 establishments in Australia
Swinburne University of Technology
Buildings and structures in the City of Stonnington