From the 18 graduation acts of the two Dutch higher professional education circus programmes, the jury selected four that are in the running for the € 7,500 prize.
The nominees are:
Tim van den Bos De Lucas with Kenova – Fontys Circus and Performance Art
Acrobatic dancer Tim van den Bos De Lucas presented an impressively layered performance with Kenova, in which technique, storytelling and emotional depth came together in a powerful way. The act not only demonstrated his technical mastery, but also a mature and clear dramaturgical structure. The theme of loss was conveyed in an honest way, without becoming sentimental.
Lily Nolan with With Eyes Closed – Codarts Circus
With acrobatic handstands in With Eyes Closed, Lily Nolan captivated the jury from the very first second. Her poetic and physical world was refined and personal, demonstrating a strong artistic signature. The combination of her unique movement quality, precise musicality and carefully constructed scenic world gave the act a dreamy yet layered atmosphere.
Tom Laurent with Make the Unseen Visible – Codarts Circus
Handstand artist Tom Laurent impressed with Make the Unseen Visible, an act that stood out thanks to its powerful visual storytelling and cinematic scenography. His mastery of the handstand technique was integrated into the overall picture in an inventive way, with light and shadow functioning as active dramaturgical elements. Tom shows that, as a creator, he thinks in images, layers and meaning.
Tatjana Sommer with ZAP – Codarts Circus
Tightrope walker Tatjana Sommer brought a powerful and fresh approach to her discipline with her act ZAP, immediately capturing the attention of the jury. Her stage presence was intense and confident, and she approached her discipline with a raw, almost rebellious energy. ZAP was playful and daring, with a raw edge that stretched the conventional boundaries of the genre; exactly the kind of innovative approach that the jury wants to encourage.
On Saturday 18 October 2025, the four nominees will give their first performance for the jury. On Sunday 19 October 2025, the award ceremony will take place during the closing performance of Festival Circolo in Tilburg. Both performances are open to the public.
The award is an initiative of the BNG Culture Fund and Circuspunt, the platform for the Dutch circus sector. It is one of a number of cultural awards designed to encourage and support up-and-coming talent in their further development. The BNG Circus Award is awarded to the most distinctive graduate talent of that year from one of the two higher professional education circus programmes in the Netherlands (Codarts Circus Rotterdam and the Fontys Academy for Circus and Performance Art in Tilburg).
Previous winners of the BNG Circus Award:
2024: Alice Davies (static trapeze)
2023: Erik Berkey (Chinese pole)
2022: Harvey Cobb (object manipulation)
2021: Melody Nolan (handstands/floor acrobatics)
2020: Laurance Felber, Jessica Hellmuth, Aleš Hrdlička, Christopher McAuley
2019: Knot on Hands (acrobatics)
2018: David Eisele (diabolo)
2017: Familiar Faces (acrobatics).
Carole van Ditzhuyzen (Maas Theatre & Dance)
Marc Eysink Smeets (Director of Festival Circolo, former Board Member of CircusPunt)
Britt Timmermans (Knot On Hands, winner of the BNG Bank Circus Award 2019)
David Severins (Wintervariéte, independent circus artist)
The BNG Culture Fund supports art and culture throughout the Netherlands and encourages emerging talent with awards in areas such as theatre, literature and heritage.
Stel je vraag aan de secretaris van het BNG Cultuurfonds.
Ana Buzón
Secretary of the BNG Culture Fund