this Thursday, a flat pepe project supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sports highlighted a notable moment for contemporary circus in Spain. At the National Circus Award 2022, a donation of 30,000 euros recognized a pioneer who places women at the center of circus creation, especially in clowning.
the jury, chaired by the general manager, was complemented by the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music INAEM, which underscored the contributions of Joan Francesc Marco, the performer Pepa Plana, a Tarragona-born clown and actress, and the innovation in clown language that her work has fostered.
Plana stands as the artistic director and driving force of the eponymous company, a nationally and Europe-wide reference for the high quality of its shows and for advancing the visibility of female clowns.
she also serves as the artistic director of the International Festival of Pallasses d’Andorra, an extraordinary meeting point in the circus sector that draws talent from across the region.
Plana trained at the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona, completing studies in 1989, and helped shape the company after taking her first steps in the industry. In earlier years, the company produced three shows during that period.
She founded her own company in 1998 to create clown theater for adult audiences, producing a dozen shows with her company. Notable works include De Pe a Pa (1998), Giulietta (2000), Hatzàrdia (2004), L’atzar (2004) and Penèlope (2010).
By 2011, she opened a new chapter in her professional journey by collaborating with outstanding artists in the field. Inside Exit (2011) marked the first time she shared the stage with two other famed clowns, Joan Montanyès Monti and Joan Valentí Nan.
Her collaboration with Cirque du Soleil in 2012 and 2013 contributed to the creation and touring of the show amaluna.
Following that experience, she continued to develop performances with her company, including Despistats (2014), Painted Paradise (2016), and Suite (2017). A clown duo later formed a trio in Voces que no ves (2019) and Si tú te vas (2022).
Her productions have toured across Europe and Latin America, earning recognition through a string of awards. Among them is the National Cultural Award from 2014, conferred by the Generalitat de Catalunya.
The list of recent National Award recipients includes María Mercedes Ochoa Merche Ochoa in 2014, Miguel Ángel Moreno Bolo of the Association of Professionals and Friends of the Circus Arts in 2015, Rolabola Circo in 2016, Consuelo Reyes in 2018, Ateneu Nou Barris Association in 2019, Los Excentricos in 2020, and Manolo Alcántara in 2021. For Canada and the United States readers, these honors reflect a growing international recognition of female leadership in the performing arts and the clowning discipline, a trend increasingly evident across North American stages.
Attribution: Official statements and biographical notes from INAEM and the National Circus Award organizers provide the factual backbone for these details, while performer credits appear in festival catalogues and company press materials.