Circus Arts in Ukraine (2015–2025): Critical Perspectives on Artistic and Educational Development

Abstract

The relevance of this study is determined by the critical condition of circus arts in Ukraine, which, between 2015 and 2025, have faced systemic decline in both artistic production and professional education amid profound socio-political challenges. In the context of limited scholarly attention to contemporary circus processes, the topic acquires particular significance for art studies and cultural policy research. The research problem lies in the absence of an integrated analytical approach to understanding the interrelation between creative practices, educational systems, and institutional governance in Ukrainian circus arts during the contemporary period. Existing studies remain fragmented and do not adequately address the structural causes of stagnation and regression within the field. The scientific novelty of the study consists in its comprehensive critical analysis of circus arts in Ukraine within the unified framework of artistic and educational processes, combining historical reconstruction with institutional and art-critical perspectives. For the first time, contemporary developments are systematically interpreted in continuity with both Soviet and post-Soviet models. The subject of the study is the problem of the development of circus arts in Ukraine in the context of creative and educational processes from 2015 to 2025. The object of the study is contemporary circus arts in Ukraine as an artistic and educational system. The study aims to identify the causes and analyze the underdevelopment of circus arts within artistic and educational processes over the specified period. The research methodology is based on historical, analytical, comparative, art-critical, circusological, pedagogical, and institutional analysis methods. The study draws upon and generalizes the contributions of Ukrainian and international scholars and practitioners, including I. Lvova, D. Orel, Yu. Romanenkova, C. Stjernebjerg, D. Sharykov, and L. Shevchenko, whose works address circus pedagogy, directing, genre studies, and institutional development. The study examines the evolution of circus arts from the Soviet period to the present, identifies key factors contributing to decline — such as ineffective management, erosion of educational standards, and the withdrawal of state support — and evaluates their impact on artistic production and professional training. Particular attention is given to the transformation of educational institutions and the loss of ensemble-based creative traditions. The author concludes that the current stagnation of Ukrainian circus arts is systemic in nature and exacerbated by the absence of coherent cultural policy and long-term institutional responsibility. The preservation and revitalization of circus arts require a strategic focus on educational continuity, engagement of master practitioners, and the restoration of integrated artistic and pedagogical models.