The Circus Project

What The Circus Project does

The Circus Project was a Portland, Oregon-based 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2008 by circus performer and Process Work therapist Jenn Cohen that used circus arts instruction as a vehicle for personal and community transformation, with a primary focus on homeless and marginalized youth. Its core program portfolio combined recreational and pre-professional group classes (aerial fabric, trapeze, lyra, tightwire, Cyr wheel, tumbling, contortion, Chinese pole, juggling), private lessons, and summer camps delivered through a dual-location footprint consisting of a Pearl District studio (1420 NW 17th Ave.) and the Outdoor Domes at Zidell Yards opened in June 2021, with virtual delivery via Zoom and Instagram livestreams during COVID-19. The organization's distinguishing technical and methodological component was its social circus model, which integrated circus skills training with wraparound support services (food, transportation, hygiene items, mentorship, translation, childcare) and a Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) framework used in the Voice Project for social-justice-focused performance creation.

The business model relied on a four-stream revenue architecture: class and training program fees on a sliding scale or pay-what-you-can basis (subscription/recurring), pay-what-you-can performance ticket sales (transactional), individual and corporate donations plus fundraising events, and foundation grants including $10,000 from Cirque du Soleil (2019) and $80,000 from Oregon Community Foundation (2021). Distribution was direct-to-consumer via MindBody registration, complemented by referral-driven enrollment from a network of 10+ social service agency partners (Boys & Girls Club, New Avenues for Youth, Friends of the Children, Outside-In, p:ear, Janus Youth Center, NAYA, Self Enhancement, Bridge Meadows, Caldera) feeding the Pathways outreach program, which disbursed over $60,000 in annual scholarships. The organization operated for 14 years before the Board of Directors approved closure on July 19, 2022 due to a multi-year decline in funding driven by increased facility costs, expanded programming, and COVID-19 instability, with last programming on August 31, 2022 and formal dissolution by September 30, 2022; the Pearl District studio space was subsequently taken over by Echo Theater Company as Echo West.

Name

The Circus Project

Legal name

The Circus Project

Website

https://thecircusproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Circus Project was a Portland, Oregon 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2008 that used circus arts instruction to serve homeless and marginalized youth alongside recreational students, operating recreational classes, pre-professional training companies, and a social circus Pathways program with wraparound support services until its August 2022 closure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social circus arts training and performance

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Circus, Magic & Variety Shows (THAJAFAH)

Keywords

• Circus arts training
• Social circus programs
• Youth arts education
• Aerial and acrobatic instruction
• Community circus performances

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events. The organization relies heavily on donor support, particularly for social circus programs. Emergency funds and campaign donations sought during crisis periods.
2. Class and Training Fees: Revenue from group classes, training company tuition, summer camps, and private lessons. Sliding scale and pay-what-you-can pricing models make programs accessible while generating operational revenue.
3. Performance Tickets: Ticket sales for public performances including Living Room Circus showcases, training company shows, and special events. Pay-what-you-can pricing with suggested donation ranges.
4. Grants: Foundation and corporate grants including Cirque du Soleil ($10,000), Oregon Community Foundation ($80,000), and other arts/cultural funding sources supporting specific programs and scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Circus Project is a nonprofit training center that delivers circus arts instruction (aerial fabric, trapeze, lyra, tightwire, Cyr wheel, acrobatics, contortion, Chinese pole, juggling) as a vehicle for personal and collective transformation. Its portfolio includes recreational and pre-professional group classes, private lessons, summer camps, youth and adult training companies, original contemporary circus productions, and the Pathways outreach program providing scholarships and wraparound support services to homeless and marginalized youth. Programming is delivered at the Portland Pearl District studio, the Outdoor Domes at Zidell Yards, and online via Zoom and Instagram livestreams.

Product overview

The Circus Project is a nonprofit circus arts training organization offering a portfolio of instructional programs, training companies, and performance opportunities. Its core offerings include recreational and pre-professional group classes (aerial fabric, trapeze, lyra, tightwire, Cyr wheel, tumbling, contortion, Chinese pole, juggling), private lessons, and summer camps. Pre-professional development is delivered through three training companies: Elements (adults), Brio Youth Training Company, and Voice Project (social justice-focused for marginalized youth). The organization also produces original performances and hosts the quarterly Living Room Circus showcase series, Community Showcases, and various special events. Social impact programming includes the Pathways outreach program with over $60,000 in annual scholarships and community partnerships. The Outdoor Domes at Zidell Yards serve as the organization's open-air performance and camp venue during summer months. The organization closed operations as of August 31, 2022.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pathways: Award-winning outreach program providing support for people facing barriers to arts participation, offering scholarships, individualized support, and connections to resources.
• Voice Project
• Brio Training Company
• Elements Training Company
• Outdoor Domes

Products and services

• Brio Youth Training Company Year-end youth training company show created by Brio Youth Training Company, exploring themes of personal awakening and empowerment through contemporary circus.
• Elements Training Company Intensive adult circus training program in which members develop experience across circus disciplines and dive deep into chosen specialties, culminating in annual performances.
• Voice Project A year-long social-justice-focused performance training company for marginalized youth (people of color, queer and trans youth, youth experiencing homelessness) that uses Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) methodology to create original circus arts performances.
• Group Classes Recreational and pre-professional circus arts classes for children and adults covering disciplines including aerial fabric, trapeze, lyra, tightwire, Cyr wheel, tumbling, contortion, Chinese pole, and juggling.
• Private Lessons One-on-one coaching sessions for individualized skill development across circus disciplines.
• Summer Camps Summer day camps for youth offering circus arts training with scholarship spots available for students facing financial barriers.
• Summer Performance Intensive (SPI) Intensive summer program for youth where participants train across multiple circus disciplines and prepare for culminating performances at local festivals and events.
• Living Room Circus Quarterly multi-disciplinary showcase of innovative pieces and works-in-progress from performing artists, featuring experimentation, risk, and audience feedback opportunities across aerial, acrobatics, spoken word, comedy, Chinese pole, juggling, and multidisciplinary works.
• Original Productions Full-length original contemporary circus productions including 'CircOdyssey' (inspired by The Odyssey), 'Raw,' 'HOPE,' 'Gravity Defiant,' 'Temblor,' 'Awaken,' 'A Geography of What Happens,' and other ensemble-devised works.
• Community Showcases Student showcases featuring performances from Circus Project students, coaches, and guest performers, providing opportunities for students to celebrate accomplishments and perform newly honed skills.
• Youth Training Companies (Orbits and Swifts) Youth training companies with culminating performances exploring themes relevant to young people such as waiting, transitions, and identity.
• Pathways Program An award-winning outreach program providing support for people facing barriers to arts participation, with individualized student support, outreach classes through community partnerships, and over $60,000 in annual scholarships.
• Community Partnership Programs Outreach classes and partnerships with social service organizations including Boys & Girls Club, Friends of the Children, New Avenues for Youth, Bridge Meadows, Caldera, Outside-In, p:ear, Janus Youth Center, Native American Youth and Family Services, and Self Enhancement, Inc.
• Open House Events Studio open houses inviting community members to try circus apparatus including trapeze, aerial fabric, tightwire, Cyr wheel, partner acrobatics, and juggling, with performances and raffles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $60,000 in annual scholarships provided to students facing barriers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Echo Theater CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2022Echo Theater Company took over the 17th Ave gym space as Echo West after The Circus Project closure. Continued similar programming with many of the same coaches, ensuring continuity for the Portland circus community.
• NectarminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Generous sponsor of Living Room Circus virtual showcase event in 2021.
• Columbia BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Event sponsor for Living Room Circus virtual showcase.
• Boys & Girls ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner receiving circus arts programming through Pathways outreach. Youth from Boys & Girls Club participated in weekly circus classes.
• Friends of the ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization for Pathways program outreach classes and individualized student support.
• New Avenues for YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial service partner providing circus programming to youth experiencing homelessness and poverty.
• Bridge MeadowscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Pathways outreach programming serving multigenerational families.
• Outside-IncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth and social services partner receiving circus arts programming through Pathways.
• p:earcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner providing creative programming to homeless youth, partnered for circus outreach.
• Janus Youth CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth services partner for Pathways circus programming.
• Native American Youth and Family Services (NAYA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization partner serving Native youth through circus arts programming.
• Self Enhancement, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican-American youth services organization partnered for Pathways outreach.
• CalderacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts nonprofit partner for youth programming through Pathways.
• A-WOL Dance CollectiveminorOthersPortland-area nonprofit using aerial arts to serve community. Listed as alternative for circus programming after The Circus Project closure.
• Black Circus CollectiveminorOthersNon-hierarchical Black circus training, performance and community space serving diaspora communities. Listed as alternative after closure.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Teatro ZinZanni: Seattle-based immersive circus dinner-theater company where founder Jenn Cohen worked as a choreography consultant. Comparable for its contemporary circus performance and training ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest.
• Echo Theater Company: Portland-based nonprofit using movement, ensemble theater, and aerial arts for community empowerment. Directly comparable as it absorbed The Circus Project's 17th Ave gym space as 'Echo West' and continues similar programming with many of the same coaches.
• Black Circus Collective: Non-hierarchical Black circus training, performance, and community organization. Listed by The Circus Project as a peer alternative for circus programming in Portland.
• San Francisco Circus Center: Long-standing Bay Area circus arts training school where founder Jenn Cohen was a tenured instructor. Closely comparable as a pre-professional and recreational circus instruction school.
• Circadium: U.S.-based contemporary circus training school. Comparable as a pre-professional circus instruction organization producing original ensemble performances.
• Bindlestiff Family Cirkus: Community-based vaudeville and circus arts nonprofit providing training and performances. Comparable as a nonprofit social-circus organization with community performance and training programming.
• École nationale de cirque (National Circus School, Montreal): Premier pre-professional circus training institution in North America. Comparable as a pre-professional circus school producing contemporary circus performance works.
• A-WOL Dance Collective: Portland-area 501c3 presenting aerial and dance performance and educational programs. Cited as a direct alternative for Portland circus programming after The Circus Project's closure.

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Global commercial circus entertainment company and the source of the $10K Cirque du Monde grant to The Circus Project. Comparable as a funder and sector anchor for social circus programming worldwide.

Others

• American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO): National membership organization for youth circus, where founder Jenn Cohen served as vice-president. Comparable as a sector-level ecosystem enabler for youth circus programs.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thecircusproject
• Xx.com/tcp_pdx
• Facebookfacebook.com/thecircusproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-circus-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Circus Project