To promote the participation of youth in circus arts and support circus educators
Our History
Founded in 1998, AYCO was created to support and connect youth circus programs across the United States. As circus education grew beyond youth programming to include learners of all ages, ACE was established in 2014 as a dedicated branch to support circus educators, ensuring they have access to professional development, safety guidelines, and community networks.
Today, AYCO continues to champion youth circus programming, offering AYCOfest, a festival for youth learners, mentorship, and youth-driven initiatives like HupSquad and the Youth Advisory Committee.
Meanwhile, ACE provides essential resources for circus educators, including the Safety Network and the Circus Educators Conference (EdCon).
OUR VISION
+ AYCO/ACE provides proactive support for the development of the circus arts education sector.
+ The power of circus arts to heal trauma, build community and develop individuals is widely understood, and circus arts are extensively employed in therapeutic settings and to address social challenges.
+ Funders recognize circus arts as a tool for youth development and invest in its advancement.
+ Circus arts play a significant role in physical and arts education in schools.
+ Capable circus arts professionals are available to meet industry demands and command respect and fair compensation.
+ The culture of safety in circus arts is developed and supported.
+ Circus educators and organizations are connected, engaged, and linked to resources and institutions that can help them pursue excellence in circus education.
+ Youth circus participants are connected, engaged, and linked to resources and institutions that can help them pursue their chosen pathway in circus.
Circus has a rich & inspiring history both in the usa and abroad.
Everyone practicing circus today is encouraged to learn about the rich traditions that have paved the way for our present and future circus practices and creation. Check out this Short History of the Circus by Circopedia, a project of the Big Apple Circus
Kevin O’Keefe, Founder
AYCO started out as a small dream in my heart. I knew what I did as the director of Circus Minimus, and CircusYoga worked in my communities but I longed for connections to others and to see the national landscape of the circus.
An initial query branched out to those I knew, and we became a small community of teachers and artists for a few years.
The first festival in 1999 was designed by my wife Erin Maile O’Keefe. We floated it on our credit card at Sailor Circus in Sarasota FL. Our organization placed itself firmly on the cultural map with our 2nd festival at Circus Juventas in Minnesota.
Since then we have grown by leaps and bounds by finding strength in diversity and community.
Even our dreams are not our own in the circus. We must share everything.