Alisan Funk keynote speech in 3rd Riga International Circus Education Conference "Roots & Routs"

Keynote “A theory of applied circus creativity: an argument for circus education during unstable times” – Alisan Funk, Ph.D.

This keynote by Alisan Funk, Ph.D. (Stockholm University of the Arts) was presented on April 17, 2026, during the 3rd Riga International Circus Education Conference “Roots & Routes – Pathways in Circus Education”, held at Riga Circus.

Does circus education prepare our students to be creative only within the circus? Can we justify pursuing arts education in an era of increasing threats to justice and dignity? Dr. Funk suggests methods we might use to answer these questions during this presentation of significant findings from her doctoral research investigating the development of creativity within the bachelor of circus arts programme in Sweden and the lasting effects on alumni during their careers.

Alisan Funk, Ph.D., has been a circus student, practitioner, creator, performer, teacher, teacher educator, and researcher. She is an assistant professor of circus and head of the Circus Department at the Stockholm University of the Arts, including appointments to working groups for innovation and curriculum. Passion for circus education – and educating about circus – drive her work and research at the intersections of circus, creativity, and curriculum theory. She has been a member of the managing board of International Network for Professional Circus Education (FEDEC) since 2020.

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