In 1984, inspired by performances at the Vancouver Children’s Festival, a small non-profit circus school was born in a South Vancouver gym. This school, originally named the Vancouver Children’s Circus Society, quickly found its place in the city’s growing circus community and flourished.
As demand grew, so did we! In 2003, we moved to the PNE Garden Auditorium at HastingsPark to accommodate our expanding programs. Then, in 2008, we rebranded as Circus West Performing Arts Society to reflect our broader vision of circus training, performance, and community engagement.
Today, we continue to grow—offering new classes, expanding outreach, and constantly evolving our teaching methods to better support our students. But our story is far from over. We invite you to be part of our next chapter!
Our mission is to develop skills, build confidence, and inspire passion through circus training and performance.
Our vision is to be Western Canada’s leading centre for teaching, performing, and promoting circus as a unique and dynamic art form.
As a registered non-profit charity, Circus West is guided by a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors, working alongside senior management to shape the strategic direction of the organization.
Now in our 40th year, we remain committed to fostering creativity, inclusivity, and excellence in circus arts. Join us on this incredible journey!
Please visit Our Society page for more information on our society, including our board of directors, AGM minutes and contact details.
Circus West acknowledges with gratitude that we train, work, and perform on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Our home inside the Gardens Auditorium - a space with a layered and evolving history sits within Hastings Park, a site of deep cultural importance to many communities.
We recognize that while we have the privilege to move, create, and share our art here, many before us have not been afforded the same freedom.
With respect and humility, we honour the land, its history, and the Indigenous peoples who have stewarded it for generations.
Circus West Performing Arts Society
2901 East Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V5K 5J1
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We are located in the Garden Auditorium, between the Forum and the PNE Admin Building.
If you are driving, please enter the PNE grounds through Gate 2 on Renfrew St. Additional entrances may be made preferable depending on PNE events. The closest foot path entrance is located at the corner of Hastings and Renfew St. Please check ahead to make sure you can enter as expected!
Yes! Free parking is available on the PNE grounds. Please note, parking fills up quickly during PNE events. For pick ups and drops offs, or when you or your child/family member is actively training, you may let the booth know you are with “CircusWest”.
Yes. Circus West observes statutory holidays as well as official holidays. These dates are posted in our front entrance as a reminder to all members. If you are unsure, please call ahead to make sure we will be running classes as expected!
Circus West closely follows the local school board calendar. We close during the School Winter Break (VSB calendar), and Spring Break. Additionally, we do not run programming during The PNE Fair (The PNE Fair runs 15 days. These dates generally begin mid-to-late August until Labour Day weekend)
Yes! We offer a one time Skills Assessment for those curious about circus who want to a class before enrolling. The cost for a Skills Assessments is $25.
Skills Assessments can be booked by emailing info@circuswest.com, only for classes with space available
Circus West is a non-profit organization dedicated
to delivering memorable experiences to students
and circus lovers of all ages.
The staff and students of Circus West work and play on the unceded, ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, Sto:lo, Stz'uminus, Qayqayt and Squamish Nations. We are grateful for this land and the ongoing stewardship of it by these nations.
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