In 1768, Philip and Patty Astley opened their first circus on the banks of the Thames. 250 years later, this historic debut is variously celebrated across the country – and often in projects that keep an eye on the future. In Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Astley’s hometown, the New Vic Theatre distinguishes itself with activities that include a season of performances, a national conference (The State of the Art, hosted in NoFit State’s Circus Village) and Circus 50:50, which joins circus artists and theatre-makers in a year of creative change. At Somerset House in London, the Circus Sampler programme brings newly commissioned performances to the venue’s famous courtyard while a new exhibition, Circus Originals, bridges circus past and present. In Manchester, Circus House collaborates with the Royal Northern College of Music to create a youth-led performance; Sheffield’s Greentop opens a Social Circus Lab; and in Rochester, Skylight Circus Arts develops new intergenerational work. In Scotland, rising activity powers the creation of Glasgow’s Braw Circus Festival.