Dear Friends of CIRCUS CENTER,

A year ago, when it was clear the economy was in for a rough time, San Francisco CIRCUS CENTER’s Board decided to expand our Professional Training Program into a world-class institution. It was a gutsy thing to do. On the other hand, we had just received status from the U.S. government as a vocational school of higher education and students from around the world could now, for the first time, receive student visas to study here.

It was a scary year for all of us; but at its core, circus represents the hopeful side of human nature. Circus artists overcome real and projected limitations (including gravity) to accomplish seemingly impossible feats of beauty and grace. It is during difficult times that we lose our self and communal confidence. Circus has a positive message. It is what we are drawn to when we are happy and when we are seeking happiness, confidence in ourselves, our institutions, and each other. Thanks to our thousands of individual donors and large student body, CIRCUS CENTER will come out of this recession as educationally and artistically vibrant as any time in our 25-year history.

Our Studio/Recreational Program was not affected by the economy. If anything, the number of students increased. The 600-700 adults and children who study here throughout the year apparently consider these weekly classes a priority they’ll not easily give up. Our Summer Camp for children was over-booked the ten program weeks it ran. Since we launched our expanded Professional Training Program in September (with some fifty students from around the world), we are squeezing programs into every corner of this century-old city-owned building, morning to night, seven days-a-week.

Additional good fortune shined on us this last year when Rebuilding Together, a national group that renovates nonprofit facilities, chose us for a major facelift. Since April, we have had more than $20,000 worth of labor and materials put into our building. Rooms and hallways were painted; new walls were constructed, creating new studio spaces; the Electrician’s Union sent us a team that rewired, added lighting fixtures, and increased electrical capacity. New carpeting was installed in the green room, the student lounge, the band room, and the dentist’s office (a newly- created studio space named after the dentist’s door that was donated to complete the room).

We created an exciting pilot program with S.F. Park & Rec this past year, bringing teenagers who were blind or deaf to demonstrate to themselves and others that they could learn to fly on the trapeze. It was breathtaking to see these young people overcome their fears and community-projected limitations. (see article on the above margin).

We continued our six-year relationship with the Alameda County Waste Management Authority, touring our specially-commissioned recycling program, Conservation Island, to more than forty East Bay elementary schools, educating thousands of children about the importance of recycling and reducing waste. Our new environmental education program, Mother Nature Presents: A Change of Pants, will be touring East Bay schools throughout the 2009-10 school year.

We are building relationships with new community partners. CIRCUS CENTER is working with San Francisco’s art-oriented public high school, School of the Arts (SOTA), to develop a new “circus arts track” that will compliment theater, dance, music, and visual arts. These past two years, the government of China has brought some of our master teachers and students to Nanjing, to teach American clowning skills to professional Chinese acrobats. Our first annual Open House & Holiday Carnival was a huge success last December. The building was packed five hours-straight with children and adults tight-rope walking, flying on the trapeze, juggling, putting on clown makeup, eating, drinking and watching free circus-performances throughout the day.

This year’s Open House & Holiday Carnival will take place on Saturday December 19, 2009 followed that evening by a performance of Pratfalls & Rising Stars, the end-of-year production highlighting the work of our Professional Training Students. Please join us on Saturday December 19th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and return for the 7:30 p.m. performance of work by the future stars of professional circus and variety theater.

As our international reputation grows, CIRCUS CENTER is becoming known as the professional circus arts training program in the United States. With start-up support from a few major donors, we established a $60,000 Scholarship Challenge Fund this year for students who have come from across the country and around the world, including Japan, Peru, France, Canada, England, Monaco and Russia. These funds will allow us to take the best and most promising students, whether or not they have the resources to pay tuition and the high cost of living in the Bay Area. At this point, three months into the school year, we have already raised more than $30,000 and hope to complete the $60,000 Scholarship Challenge Fund by early next year.

CIRCUS CENTER has survived these past twenty-five years because of your confidence, support, and attendance. With circus, things are always looking up and we have great plans for the future. Please take a moment to consider a tax-deductible contribution to our exciting work and expanding programs. Thank you!

Best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year!


Robin Acker, President

Michael Kesselman, Executive Director

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