Social Circus Committee members ensure the running of the Social Circus Network and drive AYCO/ACE’s priorities and actions to support Social Circus programs, growth, and visibility in the United States. This includes representation for annual festivals and conferences, equity and inclusion recommendations for AYCO/ACE, and supporting professional development for directors, managers, teaching artists, and young artists. Additionally, committee members will host the bi-monthly Social Circus Connection Call.

The AYCO Youth Advisory Committee is a small committee of current and engaged AYCO youth members which provides feedback to the AYCO Board of Directors from the youth perspective. The YAC provides suggestions, opinions, and input on the efficacy and impact of AYCO structure, programs, events, and initiatives. The YAC also develops and implements targeted projects (examples include the Gender and Circus Coaching resource sheet and the College Circus Club List). The YAC meets via video conference.

The Events Committee advises staff on national, regional, and special event planning, such as, AYCOfest and EdCON. Includes feedback on host site selection, schedule, promotion, general event policies.

Committee Members will help organize event presenters, manage host site communications, prepare merch and event staffing.

The role of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee is to collaborate with and advise AYCO/ACE’s Board of Directors, Staff, and other committees on the best ways to serve systematically excluded and underserved communities to ensure we are serving the mission in the best way possible. Research and develop resources for circus educators and learners to further support AYCO/ACE initiatives and programs, including recruiting workshop leaders and practitioners for annual festivals and conferences.

The role of the Safety Committee is to advise AYCO/ACE staff on the implementation of the ACE Circus Arts Safety Program, including guidance about the growth, visibility, and success of the Circus Arts Safety Network. The committee is also responsible for reviewing and updating the Guidelines for Circus Arts Safety Network Members every 2 years with input from the AYCO/ACE, community and for reviewing and updating the AYCO/ACE Event Safety Guidelines. The committee is composed of 4-6 volunteer members with one member serving as chair and meets a minimum of 3 times per year.

The purpose of the AYCO/ACE Insurance Committee will work to assess the insurance needs of circus schools and other organizations and develop resources and tools to help them understand and navigate the insurance process. The committee will research and compare insurance providers and policies. In addition, the insurance committee advocates for fair and equitable insurance policies for the circus arts industry. The committee will work to raise awareness of the unique risks and challenges faced by circus schools and other organizations and advocate for policies that support their mission and activities.

The role of the AYCO/ACE Health and Wellness Advisory Committee is to promote physical, emotional, and mental health and wellness; prevent negative experiences; and respond more effectively as an organization and circus community. The committee identifies, creates, and shares resources on a range of health and wellness issues, including sexual abuse and harassment, historical traumas, disordered eating, concussions, and suicide. Examples of recent initiatives: Collaborating with the Safety Committee to include guidelines addressing H&W topics in the ACE Safety Network Guidelines; Health and Wellness Resources List, development of AYCO/ACE Minor Safety Policy.