Editor’s note: This interview was conducted in 2023 and is presented in that historical context.
September 2026 update
École de cirque de Québec’s current team page still lists Tim Roberts as director general. The school remains active in Quebec City and continues both professional training and recreational circus programs. That is useful current context, but it does not make every statement in a 2023 interview current.
The quotations below remain from the original 2023 conversation. For 2026 admissions, program schedules, public performances or community-program details, use the school’s current site rather than treating this archive as a live program guide.
Tim Roberts joined École de cirque de Québec in 2016 and became managing director in 2019. We spoke with him about the school’s approach, its community role and the future of circus in Quebec City.
Helping students build their own artistic identity
Roberts described an approach centered on giving students room to define the kind of circus artists they want to become.
“We support them in developing their own vision of the circus they want to do, rather than trying to fit into the box of the circus that is already being done,” Roberts said.
Circus as community work
Roberts highlighted ECQ’s recreational programming and its work with people with Down syndrome and autism as well as homeschooled youth.
“Our commitment stretches beyond the stage, reaching into the very heart of the community,” he said.
A school inside Saint-Esprit church
ECQ operates in the former Saint-Esprit church in Limoilou, a setting Roberts sees as part of the school’s identity.
“This church embodies the essence of our purpose – not merely education, but the cultivation of a community of artists,” Roberts said.
Quebec City as a circus hub
Drawing on his international circus-school experience, Roberts described Quebec City as a place where students can experiment and build new forms of performance.
“Quebec City offers a canvas of boundless potential, igniting creativity and exploration,” Roberts said.
Why this interview remains useful
The conversation captures how Roberts framed the school’s mission in 2023: artistic independence, incremental improvement and community participation were presented as connected rather than separate goals. That perspective adds context to the quotations without turning them into claims about every current program.
What to verify today
Leadership, admissions, recreational schedules and community programs can change after an interview. Readers considering training or a visit should use the school’s official site for current information and treat the quotations here as a dated primary-source record. The former church setting and the school’s role in Limoilou remain part of the interview’s value, but this article is not a current admissions guide.
About the interview format
The quotations below and above are preserved from the original conversation. We have organized them by theme and added context, but have not rewritten Roberts’s words. That distinction matters for an archival interview: clarity can improve around the transcript without altering the speaker’s meaning.
The Kaizen idea
For aspiring performers, Roberts returned to incremental improvement: “Strive to be better than you were yesterday, and you’ll discover a fulfilling path of artistic evolution.”
Asked about the future, he answered: “Kaizen, my friend, Kaizen.”
Learn more from the École de cirque de Québec.
For more local arts planning, see our guide to the best museums in Quebec City.
This 2023 conversation remains useful because it preserves Tim Roberts’s own explanation of the school and its place in Quebec City’s circus community. It is an interview archive, not a current admissions brochure.
Programs, schedules, fees and public performances can change. Families and prospective students should verify current details directly with École de cirque de Québec. The interview and original photographs still provide valuable context for understanding the work taking place inside the school.
Discover more from Quebec City 101
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.