CIRCA's Digital Art Platform Expands Global Screen Network with Circular Economy Model

Founded in 2020 by Josef O'Connor, CIRCA is a London-based digital art platform that emerged during COVID-19 lockdowns. It transforms advertising screens into daily three-minute digital canvases, starting with Piccadilly Circus and expanding to Seoul, Tokyo, Milan, Los Angeles, and New York. The platform commissions monthly artists who also produce limited print editions, with sales funding cash grants for artists and supporting London nonprofits like Chisenhale Gallery and The Showroom. CIRCA's #CIRCAECONOMY distributes direct-to-community grants and funded the Class of 2021 initiative, offering £30,000 prizes. Landsec, owner of Piccadilly Lights, granted special permission for full-screen artist use, which commercial brands cannot access. A council and code of conduct with Westminster Council guide content limitations in public spaces. Notable commissions include Cauleen Smith (November 2020), David Hockney (May 2021), Hetain Patel (November 2021), and AA Bronson's reworked Imagevirus for AIDS pandemic commemoration. The platform has awarded £5,000 grants to institutions, established £30,000 scholarships at Goldsmiths, and pays artists £4,000 fees. Collaborations involve curators like Zoé Whitley and Elvira Dyangani Ose, with support from Lisson Gallery's Greg Hilty and curator Norman Rosenthal. The website has received over 40 million hits since launch.