Seoul invites families to free weekend circus classes
Summary
Seoul will open free weekend circus workshops in September at the Seoul Street Arts Creation Center for families with elementary school children. The Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture says the Circus Picnic program will run 12 sessions through November, with instructors from the Jumpers troupe teaching juggling, plate-spinning and beginner aerial silks. Registration opens Aug. 28 on a first-come, first-served basis. The venue is a former water pump station along the Han River in eastern Seoul.
Key Facts
- The workshops are called Circus Picnic and are hosted by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture.
- Each session lasts two hours and is designed for up to five family members.
- The program runs for 12 sessions through November.
- Registration opens on Aug. 28 through the foundation’s official platform.
- The Seoul Street Arts Creation Center is described as a former water pump station with 12-meter-high indoor practice halls and outdoor spaces.
Tourists take a picture in front of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Families looking to trade screen time for acrobatics can learn plate-spinning, juggling and aerial silks this autumn as Seoul opens a former water station for free weekend circus workshops.
Beginning in September, the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture will host "Circus Picnic." This series of free, hands-on weekend workshops is designed to transform traditional big-top spectacle into an accessible family bonding experience. Held at the Seoul Street Arts Creation Center — a former water pump station repurposed into Korea's premier creative facility for circus and outdoor arts — the initiative invites parents and elementary school children to step off the sidelines and onto the practice mat.
Professional instructors from the circus troupe Jumpers will guide small groups of up to five family members through fundamental circus disciplines, with 12 sessions running through November. The two-hour program emphasizes physical balance, non-competitive teamwork and shared play. Participants progress from basic juggling and plate-spinning exercises to beginner-level aerial silk maneuvers, climbing and balancing together high above the ground.
The program reflects a broader global shift in arts education where circus arts are increasingly viewed not merely as passive entertainment but as dynamic physical literacy programs. For children accustomed to digital interfaces, physical arts offer tactile engagement and direct physical feedback.
"Circus education for the entire family is a unique artistic experience where parents and children rely on each other’s weight and support," said Song Hyeong-jong, chief executive officer of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture. "We hope families can step away from their daily routines to build healthy confidence and warm memories."
Situated along the banks of the Han River in eastern Seoul, the venue itself adds to the experience, featuring 12-meter-high indoor practice halls and expansive outdoor spaces. Registration for the free workshops opens on a first-come, first-serve basis on Aug. 28 via the foundation's official platform, offering local families a fresh way to spend autumn weekends together.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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