The European Juggling Convention (EJC), is the largest juggling convention in the world, regularly attracting several thousand participants. It is held every year in a different European country. It is organised by changing local organisation committees which are supported by the European Juggling Association (EJA), a non-profit association founded in 1987 in Saintes, France.[1] Like most juggling conventions, it features a mix of workshops for jugglers, a "renegade" performance performed for participants, games, performances and a public show, usually spread out over a period of a week in the European summer. Accommodation is usually in the form of tents provided by participants.
The first EJC was inspired by the IJA Festival and organised by jugglers who didn't want to travel to the USA.[2] The IJA helped by giving the organisers a list (known as the roster) of IJA members living in Europe.[3] It was also known as the "first European IJA mini-convention" and had an attendance of 11 jugglers from 5 countries.[4] EJC has now grown much bigger than its inspiration and has much less focus on competitive juggling, but is more about the sharing of juggling.
The European Juggling Convention (EJC) typically takes place over the course of one week during the summer and includes a wide range of activities such as workshops, professional performances, public gala shows, open stages, competitions, games, parades and informal practice sessions. The programme is largely based on peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, with participants themselves leading many of the workshops and training sessions.
Unlike competitive juggling festivals, the EJC places emphasis on collaboration, experimentation and the open exchange of techniques and creative practices between amateur and professional circus artists.
Participation
The convention regularly attracts several thousand participants from across Europe and beyond, including hobbyists, students, educators and professional performers working in contemporary circus and street arts disciplines. In recent decades, attendance has frequently reached between 3,000 and 7,000 participants representing more than 50 countries.
Most attendees camp on-site for the duration of the event, contributing to a temporary international community centred around circus arts, movement practices and creative expression.
Organisation
Each edition of the EJC is organised by a local volunteer-based organising committee in cooperation with the European Juggling Association (EJA), a non-profit organisation founded in 1987 to support the continuity and development of the convention.
The event operates according to a decentralised organisational model, with hosting responsibilities rotating annually between different European countries. The European Juggling Association provides guidance, documentation and logistical support to ensure knowledge transfer between organising teams from year to year.
Cultural significance
Over time, the EJC has become one of the largest gatherings of contemporary circus practitioners worldwide and serves as an important platform for intercultural exchange, informal education and artistic development within the international juggling and circus community.
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