The New Orleans Youth Circus Initiative

The New Orleans Youth Circus Initiative is a social circus program that provides circus arts instruction and performance opportunities to youth in Orleans Parish. Based out of Fly Circus Space in Mid City, New Orleans, the program promotes as its goals physical literacy, dedicated play, creation and performance of circus by youth, and implicitly inclusive community. The program applies the art and culture of circus to help address social issues such as social isolation, impact of trauma, violence in communities and lack of access to arts and cultural activity.

The Youth Program at Fly Circus Space (a 501(c)(3) organization), now in its fifth year, maintains an enrollment of approximately 40 students. Through workshops and performances, our program serves an additional 100 youth each year. Through the New Orleans Youth Circus Initiative we will are able to expand current enrollment and engage with our community through service, outreach, and performance. Adding to these goals, we also hope to provide afterschool programs and summer camps as well as scholarships in the coming year. 

We believe in (and many of us know firsthand) the positive impact of circus programming for youth. According to a recent study conducted by the American Youth Circus Organization, youth in social circus programs are developing skills they need to lead productive lives, showing that participation in programs like ours improves “the social and emotional skills that youth need to thrive as adults: knowledge and awareness of emotions; the ability to manage emotions in behavior; the ability to seek help and to help others; and the ability to set and work towards goals.” 
Building a sense of empowerment and confidence is at the core of social circus, helping youth to find a positive path.
Social circus programming and youth performances bring the joy of circus arts to the greater community. Audience members are not only entertained by all varieties and aspects of circus performance - from aerial arts to tightrope walking, clowning to costumery and much more - they find access to the rich history of circus in New Orleans’ past. 
Community involvement in our youth circus performances brings light to a revival of circus arts in the Crescent City.