2 March 2022

Circus: Roll up, roll up!

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Ivan Bros circus poster

Circus: Roll up, roll up! is showing at the National Library of Australia from 14 December 2021 to 19 June 2022. Image: National Library of Australia.

Run away and join the circus at the National Library of Australia’s newest exhibition in the Treasures Gallery.

For more than a century, the circus has been a feature of the Australian entertainment industry, particularly in rural and regional Australia. Take a look at how this sector has changed over time, from early beginnings of travelling sideshows, through to the rise of the contemporary circus.

Early touring circuses featured ‘Wild West’ feats of horsemanship, music hall traditions of clowning, and displays of wild and exotic animals. From the 1960s, the focus shifted to performances of human physicality and storytelling, with modern circuses engaged with formal in circus arts training, and partnering internationally to progress the artform.

circus acts poster

Poster featuring photographs of circus acts. Image: National Library of Australia.

This exhibition features posters, images and memorabilia from the Vivian James Carter Collection. With a passion for circuses and carnivals, Vivian James Carter amassed a collection that documents the circus industry across the twentieth century.

The details

What: Circus: Roll up, roll up! exhibition
When: 14 December 2021 to 19 June 2022, 9 am to 5 pm
Where: Treasures Gallery at the National Library of Australia Parkes Place, Canberra ACT 2600
Cost: Free.

For more information, visit the National Library of Australia.

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