General Registration Information
The Circus school year starts in September and runs to June every year. Classes run for around 30 weeks and participants learn a variety of circus skills in each class. The circus school year has two terms:
- Autumn term, which runs from September to December, and is typically 12 weeks
- Spring term, which runs from January to June, and is typically 18 weeks
The amount of weeks each class has varies based on what day the class falls on and public holidays.
New registration system in 2025: Class for Kids
Starting in September 2025, we will be using a new registration system called Class for Kids. Here is what you need to know:
- From September 2025 all weekly circus classes (Youth Circus West, East and Tuam, Adult, Toddler, and Family) will become a circus school year-long (September-June) subscription term. Class fees will be divided into monthly payments and taken out each month. There will not be an option to pay in full for a subscription term.
- For autumn term 2025 classes, registration will begin in June for current members and open to new members in July.
- You must register to secure your class. You will only need to provide your card details once and the payments will be taken automatically each month.
- If registration starts more than one month before the first payment is due, we will pause the subscription plan and activate it before the due date for payments.
- Sibling discounts: Where siblings are booked in, admin will be notified automatically, and your subscription plan will be tailored to your booking by our admin team. This enables us to create 1 subscription plan per registration and reduce fees for parents.
Cancellations
To cancel a subscription class, please inform the admin office a minimum of one week before the date of next payment by email, phone or in person.
Bursary Awards
Galway Community Circus wants to ensure that circus education is accessible to every child in Ireland. We offer Bursary Awards to assist individuals with financial or other constraints to apply for a reduced rate or free classes.
To apply for a Bursary Award, please fill out the application form below.
Registration for our Youth Circus Programmes (Galway West, Galway East, Tuam)
At Galway Community Circus, Youth Circus refers to our membership-based circus arts education programmes for children and young people which focus on the artistic, social and personal development of participants.
We offer weekly Youth Circus classes in Galway West (Shantalla), Galway East (Mervue), and Tuam.
Youth Circus West (Shantalla) classes offered are for ages 5-24.
Youth Circus East (Mervue) classes offered are for ages 5-12.
Youth Circus Tuam classes offered are for ages 5-12.
Youth Circus West Programme (ages 5-24)
For spring term 2025, Youth Circus West classes are still being booked through our old booking system, Easy Payment Plus. This will change in September 2025 and all classes will then be booked on a subscription basis through our new registration system Class for Kids.
Youth Circus West programme fees include:
- 30 weeks of Youth Circus classes
- Additional training times for shows and events
- Shows and events
- Youth exchange opportunities
- Youth leader opportunities
- Access to the Circus Equipment Library
- For youth participants taking two classes, a 10% discount on the second class
- When siblings are enrolled, a 10% discount for the 2nd sibling
See a table of the 2024-2025 Youth Circus West class fees below.
Please note: When registering online, you may see a class that costs less than what is listed here. This is because we do not charge for classes on bank holidays, mid-term breaks or other holidays. Classes that fall on bank holidays will be adjusted to eliminate the costs for these classes. All prices listed for the Youth Circus programme below are for 30 weeks engagement.
Youth Circus West Class Fees 2024-2025
| Age Group | Weeks | Yearly Fee + Admin Fee | Class Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Circus Fleas (5-7yrs) | 30 | €277 | 1 hour |
| Youth Circus Juniors (8-11yrs) | 30 | €340 | 1.5 hours |
| Youth Circus Tweenies (12-14yrs) | 30 | €340 | 1.5 hours |
| Youth Circus Seniors (15-17yrs) | 30 | €452 | 2 hours |
| Youth Circus Aerial (8-17yrs) | 29 | €328 | 1.5 hours |
Youth Circus East Programme (ages 1-12)
We are delighted to offer a pilot Youth Circus programme in Galway East (Mervue Community Centre) thanks to support from Galway City Arts Office. At our Eastside location we are currently offering classes for Toddlers, Fleas and Juniors.
At present, registration for Eastside Circus classes is done by term. For spring term 2025 (January-June), classes will be run in blocks. Block 1 will run for 6 weeks and is a standard term, meaning there will be only one payment up front for block 1 of classes.
Block 2 information will be announced soon.
Youth Circus Tuam Programme (ages 5-12)
At our Tuam location, we offer classes for Fleas and Juniors. At present, registration for Tuam Circus classes is done by term. For spring term 2025 (January - June), Tuam Circus classes will be paid as a 5-month subscription term. The first payment for spring term will be taken on 1st February and run monthly until 1st June.
Registration for Toddler, Family, and Adult Circus Classes (Galway West)
We offer Adult, Toddler and Family Circus classes in our Galway West location (Shantalla.)
At present, registration for Adult, Toddler and Family classes is done by term. For spring term 2025 (January - June), these classes will be paid as a 5-month subscription term. The first payment for spring term will be taken on 1st February and run monthly until 1st June.
From September 2025 all weekly circus classes will become a circus school year-long (September-June) subscription term. Class fees will be divided into monthly payments and taken out each month. There will not be an option to pay in full for a subscription term.
Members (those previously enrolled in these classes) have the option to register first before classes are open to the public. For autumn term 2025, registration will begin in June for current members and open to new members in July. Once classes are open to the public, spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please note: for Toddler and Family Circus classes, the classes operate on a one parent/guardian, one child policy. This means a parent/guardian must register with a child.
For Toddler Circus, parents are NOT charged for registration. For Family Circus classes, parents ARE charged for registration. The fee listed below for Family Circus classes is per person (pp). Each person registering for the class will be charged.
Toddler & Family Class Fees 2024-2025
| Class | September Fee | January Fee | 2024-2025 Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler Circus Mondays | €84 (11 weeks) | €113 (15 weeks) | €197 |
| Toddler Circus Thursdays | €84 (11 weeks) | €142 (19 weeks) | €226 |
| Toddler Circus Saturdays | €84 (11 weeks) | €135 (18 weeks) | €219 |
| Family Circus (per person) | €63pp (11 weeks) | €101pp (18 weeks) | €164pp |
Arts Council Youth Subsidy
The Arts Council of Ireland funds arts programming for young people aged 24 years and under. For young adults who are aged 18-24 years, we offer a subsidised price thanks to this funding from the Arts Council of Ireland. If you are in this age group, please contact us at info@galwaycircus.com and we will put you on a personalised subscription plan at a discounted rate.
This discounted rate is valid for young adults aged 18-24. You must be no older than age 24 on the first day of class for the term in which you are registering.
