Inaugural FISM Academy Advanced Magic Workshop Opens in Shanghai
The inaugural FISM Academy Advanced Magic Workshop officially opened at the Shanghai Circus School on July 6, 2026.
Building upon the success of previous international workshops, the event marks the global launch of FISM's official training system under the FISM Academy brand. With its inauguration, Shanghai joins The Magic Circle in the United Kingdom and the College of Magic in South Africa as one of the world's first three FISM Academy training centers.
The workshop is jointly hosted by the China Acrobats Association and FISM, and organized by the Shanghai Circus School and the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe. Distinguished guests attending the opening ceremony included Dong Yaopeng, Vice Chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles; Yu Yigang, Chairman of the China Acrobats Association; and FISM President Andrea Baioni. Bacon Magic was invited to attend the ceremony as a representative of China's private magic industry, witnessing this milestone in international cooperation.
An Intensive, Focused Training Experience
The workshop features a world-class faculty of FISM World Champions, including 2025 FISM Stage Grand Prix winner Francesco Della Bona, 2018 FISM Stage Grand Prix winner Miguel Muñoz, and 2018 FISM Close-up Champion Bill Cheung.
The 13 participants were selected through a rigorous screening process from young magicians representing seven provinces and municipalities across China.
Unlike traditional magic conventions, the FISM Academy offers no public lectures or gala performances. Instead, it is designed as an intensive, closed-door training program. Over five days, participants rotate through small-group coaching sessions with each of the three instructors, receiving personalized guidance in technical execution, artistic development, and creative thinking.
As President Baioni explained during the opening ceremony, the objective is not to teach new tricks, but to help participants refine their existing acts to a level suitable for international competition.
Shanghai's Strength: Tradition Meets Systematic Education
Shanghai's selection as Asia's only FISM Academy training center reflects both its century-long tradition of the "Shanghai School" of magic and more than three decades of experience in hosting the Shanghai International Magic Festival.
Founded in 1989, the Shanghai Circus School is China's only vocational institution with a dedicated professional magic department. Among its recent achievements, student Zhao Yujia reached the finals of the 2024 FISM Asia Championship before becoming the youngest competitor at the 2025 FISM World Championship.
Principal Liang Hongjun noted that the establishment of the FISM Academy sets a new benchmark for professional magic education in China and further strengthens the school's role as a leading training center for future magic professionals.
Integrating Chinese Magic with the International Competitive System
During the opening ceremony, Lu Hang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the China Acrobats Association, reviewed the century-long development of Chinese magic—from the publication of E Huan Hui Bian in the early twentieth century, to the international recognition earned by legendary performers such as Chung Ling Soo (Zhu Liankui) and Han Bingqian, and ultimately to today's generation of Chinese magicians winning medals on the world stage.
He noted that the establishment of the FISM Academy in China represents an important step toward closer integration with the world's highest standards of competitive magic.
Lu Hang emphasized that the Academy brings world-class educational resources directly to China, allowing outstanding young magicians to receive hands-on instruction from some of the world's finest performers and educators.
President Andrea Baioni also revealed that FISM is actively working with UNESCO to promote the recognition and preservation of magic as an element of intangible cultural heritage.
Bacon Magic on the Ground
Among participants primarily representing public institutions and state-affiliated performing arts organizations, Bacon Magic was invited as a representative of China's private magic industry. The company gained a firsthand perspective on the latest developments in international magic education and talent cultivation in China.
The workshop will conclude on July 10. As the first official FISM Academy training program, it represents another significant step in strengthening China's magic education system while cultivating the next generation of performers in preparation for the 2028 FISM World Championship in Busan, South Korea.