Youth & Social Circus Worldwide
Kids do circus for fun and recreation, to get physically fit, to make friends, and for tons of other reasons. We call this youth circus. Circus can also be a safe place to help kids who struggle with life’s challenges, whether at home, in school, or on the streets. This is called social circus. Youth and social circus programs serve a huge range of people!
While writing DIY Circus Lab for Kids, I teamed up with an awesome group of circademics to create the first MASTER LIST of Youth and Social Circus WORLDWIDE! You won’t believe how much youth circus is going on around the globe!
United States
- The American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO) is the premier advocacy group for youth circus arts in the USA. AYCO hosts national youth circus festivals every two years, among many services: www.americanyouthcircus.org
- The American Circus Educators Association grew out of AYCO to specifically support circus educators, coaches, parents, teachers, and program directors. www.americancircuseducators.org
Africa
The African Circus Arts festival brings together young and professional artists from all over Africa to perform and take workshops. Ethiopia, Senegal, Kenya, Egypt, and more! www.africancircusfestival.com/
Asia
The Asian Social Circus Association, funded by Cirque du Soleil, helps support kids doing circus in Indonesia, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam… and many more. www.socialcircus.org/
Austral-asia
Youth circus is alive and well Down Under and in New Zealand where the indigenous Maori people invented poi. See for yourself at the Australian Circus and Physical Theater Association (ACAPTA): www.acapta.org.au/acapta-directory/youth-circus-in-australia-and-new-zealand/
Canada
Cirque du Soleil is world famous for its astounding circus performances. But it also devotes resources to its Cirque du Monde program, serving thousands of kids in social circus projects globally. This amazing map captures countless projects and organizations: http://apps.cirquedusoleil.com/social-circus-map/
Europe
- CARAVAN’s European Youth and Social Circus Network has 22 youth and social circus members www.caravancircusnetwork.eu/
- The European Youth Circus Organization has many member countries supporting kids’ circus: www.eyco.org/
- Older kids seeking higher education in circus arts can check out the European Federation of Professional Circus Schools (FEDEC): www.fedec.eu/en/
South America
Social circus organizations in Peru, Chile, and Argentina teamed up with Cirque du Soleil to receive $3.6 million dollars for low-income kids to get work in social circuses. Colombia and Brazil are set to follow.
www.fomin.org/en-us/HomeOld2015/News/PressReleases/ArtMID/3819/ArticleID/995/The-MIF-Cirque-du-Soleil174-and-three-Latin-American-social-circus-schools-join-forces-to-promote-youth-employability.aspx
UK & Ireland
CircusWorks is the UK’s youth circus network, creating festivals, conferences, and networking opportunities that strengthen the youth circus sector across England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. www.circusworks.org
