The European Juggling Association (EJA) is a non-profit organization committed to promoting juggling and contemporary circus arts throughout Europe and beyond. With a strong emphasis on community and volunteerism, the EJA supports local organizers with resources, guidance, and professional expertise to host the European Juggling Convention (EJC) each year. From logistics to finance, the EJA ensures that every aspect of the convention is meticulously planned, allowing organizers to focus on creating an inspiring event for jugglers and circus artists of all levels.

FIND PEOPLE

  • "Leading a team here is incredibly rewarding – I get to see firsthand how our efforts create something special that everyone can enjoy and be part of."

    Bart

Structure

EJA Board

The EJA Board is an official body of the EJA, authorized to make and implement decisions on its behalf. It comprises the Executive Committee, Country Representatives, and Festival Representatives. The board elects the Executive Committee and makes decisions on all matters brought forward by the committee.

The board typically convenes in person multiple times during an EJC and meets online throughout the year. Decisions are made by a simple majority vote during board meetings.

Executive Committee (XC)

The Executive Committee (XC) is an official body of the EJA, empowered to make and implement decisions on its behalf. It is composed of the president, secretary, and treasurer.

The XC manages the association’s daily affairs, including liaising with organizing teams, coordinating internal efforts, and handling external representation. At its discretion, the XC may also appoint individuals to assist with specific tasks. While these appointees do not hold formal voting rights on the board, they play an invaluable role in supporting the Association.

Members of the XC are elected by the EJA Board to serve three-year terms.

Country Representatives

Country Representatives serve as the voice of their respective countries within the EJA and are voting members of the Board. Each European country may have one Country Representative.

Country Representatives are elected for two-year terms by jugglers from their country during the EJA General Assembly.

Festival Representatives

Festival Representatives serve as liaisons between their EJC organizing teams—past or upcoming—and the EJA. They play a valuable role on the board by sharing key insights from previous conventions to support new members and organizing teams.

As voting members of the Board, Festival Representatives are appointed annually. The EJA Board determines each year which festivals are eligible to appoint or retain a representative based on their activity and involvement with the EJA.

  • For 9 days, the public will have the opportunity to enjoy the best international artists in circus galas, workshops covering various disciplines, fire shows, aerial performances, acrobatics, and the traditional juggling Olympics.

    Alexandre Rosas, The Vice President of the Ovar City Council

General Assembly

The EJA General Assembly is a semi-official body of the EJA, not established by statute, but it makes decisions on behalf of the organization. Held annually at the EJC, the assembly is open to interested jugglers, each of whom serves as a voting member.

Community big top

Community Big Tops – Join the conversation

The Community Big Tops are spaces created by the European Juggling Association (EJA) to listen, talk, and connect with the juggling and circus community throughout the year — beyond the European Juggling Convention itself.

Everyone in the community is invited

Community Big Tops are open to everyone:
jugglers, artists, volunteers, organizers, families, newcomers, and long-time community members.

You don’t need a formal role or special preparation — just curiosity and a willingness to take part in the conversation.

What is it about?

Each Community Big Top is a space for:

  • Updates from the EJA on current topics
  • Open discussion and shared reflection
  • Questions, ideas, and community concerns
  • Listening to what matters to the people behind the EJC

Inspired by town hall meetings, Community Big Tops are about dialogue, transparency, and shared responsibility.

How to join & reminders

The event will take place online, and the participation link will be shared in advance.

👉 If you’re subscribed to the EJA newsletter, the link will arrive directly in your inbox.
👉 We’ll also send reminders before the event so you don’t miss it.
👉 Not subscribed yet? You can find the newsletter and sign up via www.eja.net.

A community-driven space

Community Big Tops are part of the EJA’s commitment to staying connected, open, and accountable to the community it exists for.

  • The EJA Archive: Preserving the Living History of Juggling

One of the greatest treasures of the European Juggling Association is its vast and ever-growing archive — a unique collection that documents decades of juggling culture, community, and creativity.

Since the very first European Juggling Convention, an enormous amount of material has been generated by jugglers across Europe and beyond. Today, this archive includes:

  • Thousands of photographs capturing iconic moments, performances, and community life
  • Rare and historic videos from early conventions
  • Posters, flyers, and visual identities from past EJCs
  • Juggling magazines, newsletters, and printed publications
  • Personal documents, notes, and memorabilia from jugglers and organisers
  • Records of shows, workshops, and artistic evolution within the juggling world

This archive is not just a collection — it is the living memory of our community.

Sonja Boeckmann — Guardian of the Archive

At the heart of this work is Sonja Boeckmann, the long-standing archivist of the EJA and a key figure in preserving juggling history.

For many years, Sonja has been:

  • Collecting and safeguarding materials from conventions and individuals
  • Cataloguing and organizing an immense and diverse body of content
  • Curating exhibitions at various EJCs
  • Ensuring that the cultural heritage of juggling is not lost over time

Her work is driven by deep care for the community and an understanding that juggling is not only a practice, but also a cultural movement worth preserving.

Thanks to her dedication, the EJA archive has become one of the most important informal cultural archives in the world of contemporary circus and juggling.

Archive Exhibitions at EJCs

Over the years, the archive has not remained hidden — it has been actively shared with the community through exhibitions at multiple European Juggling Convention editions.

These exhibitions have taken many forms:

Historical Photo Exhibitions

Collections of images from early conventions, showing the evolution of juggling styles, props, and community life.

Posters & Graphic Design Retrospectives

Walls of visual identity from decades of EJCs, reflecting changing aesthetics, political moments, and artistic trends.

Video Corners

Spaces where participants could watch rare footage of past shows, legendary performers, and iconic convention moments.

Juggling Publications & Magazines

Displays of printed culture — newsletters, magazines, and independent publications that shaped the juggling scene.

Community Memory Installations

Contributions from jugglers themselves: personal objects, stories, and artifacts that reflect the diversity of the community.

These exhibitions are often among the most emotional spaces at an EJC — places where generations meet, memories resurface, and the identity of the community becomes visible.

Towards a Digital Archive

The EJA is currently working towards making this immense archive accessible online.

Our goal is to:

  • Digitise as much material as possible
  • Create a structured and searchable archive
  • Make the history of juggling available to everyone
  • Preserve fragile materials for future generations

This is a long-term project that requires time, care, and collaboration.

Help Us Grow the Archive

The archive is a collective effort — and it is still growing.

If you:

  • Have photos, videos, or materials from past conventions
  • Know tools or platforms that could help structure and expand the archive
  • Want to contribute to the preservation of juggling history

👉 Please get in touch: directors@eja.net

Together, we can ensure that the history of juggling is not only remembered — but shared, celebrated, and continuously expanded.