Prescott Circus Theatre

What Prescott Circus Theatre does

Prescott Circus Theatre is a 501(c)(3) youth development organization founded in 1985 by Aileen Moffitt at Prescott Elementary School in West Oakland, California. Its core product is a structured Social Circus and Creative Youth Development curriculum that teaches juggling, acrobatics, stilt walking, clowning, hip hop dance, unicycle, tightwire, rola-bola/rolling globe, plate spinning, and hambone body percussion to Oakland youth in grades TK–12, with explicit integration of African diaspora traditions, academic enrichment, and social-emotional learning. Programs are delivered via school-day and after-school residencies across eight Oakland public school sites (Prescott Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, Piedmont Avenue Elementary, Sankofa Academy, East Oakland Pride, REACH Academy, and Parker Elementary/Middle School), a six-week Summer Circus and Academic Program, a Winter Holiday Circus Program, and a Spring Showcase.

The organization is led by Executive/Artistic Director David Hunt and Program and Engagement Director Tristan Cunningham, supported by a small cohort (1–10 employees) of specialized teaching artists (acrobatics, juggling, stilt walking, clowning/character improvisation, dance, rola-bola) plus rotating performers and youth apprentices. Its underlying operating technology is the curriculum itself rather than software: documented rubrics for costuming/makeup and consent-based physical activity, an alumni-and-guest-artist bench (e.g., Unique Derique, Judy Finelli), and embedded partnerships with Kinetic Arts Center (West Oakland Youth Circus Collaborative), Oakland Spirit Orchestra, Youth Beat, Bay Area Community Resources, and YMCA East Bay.

Its business model blends institutional and individual philanthropic funding with modest earned revenue. The primary revenue streams are foundation and government grants (California Arts Council, Oakland Fund for Children and Youth, City of Oakland Cultural Funding Program, The San Francisco Foundation, East Bay Community Foundation, Port of Oakland, Morris Stulsaft Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, West Davis and Bergard Foundation), individual donations (one-time and monthly via PayPal), sliding-scale program fees for seasonal programs ($225–$25 for 2-day holiday enrollment; scholarships available), and corporate/community event performance fees. Programming is delivered free of charge to Oakland youth and free to the public at annual summer shows reaching 10,000+ audience members across 30–50+ community event appearances per year. The go-to-market is community-led: outreach via OUSD school administrators, after-school program partners, word-of-mouth, public performances, and earned media, with no paid advertising budget.

Name

Prescott Circus Theatre

Legal name

Prescott Circus Theatre

Website

https://prescottcircus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Prescott Circus Theatre is a 501(c)(3) founded in 1985 that delivers circus arts education and creative youth development programs to Oakland TK–12 students across eight public-school residencies, seasonal summer/winter programs, and free community performances reaching over 10,000 audience members annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circus, Magic & Variety Shows (THAJAFAH), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)

Keywords

• Youth circus education
• After school arts programs
• Social circus training
• Community youth development
• School based artist residencies

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland, CA

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees (Sliding Scale): Prescott Circus Theatre charges sliding-scale fees for its holiday and summer circus programs. For the 2025 Winter Holiday Circus Program, fees range from $225 to $25 for 2-day enrollment, and $120 to $10 per single day, with aftercare available for $30 to $10 per day. Scholarships are available. This represents a minor revenue stream designed to maximize accessibility.
2. Individual Donations and Grants: The organization relies heavily on individual donations as flexible revenue and receives grants from multiple foundations and government arts agencies. The website includes a donation link via PayPal and a recurring monthly gift option. Grants from the California Arts Council, Oakland Fund for Children and Youth, City of Oakland Cultural Funding Program, Port of Oakland, Morris Stulsaft Foundation, East Bay Community Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, and others are referenced.
3. Corporate and Community Event Performance Fees: Prescott Circus Theatre provides paid performances for corporate events, community festivals, private events, and special occasions. The organization conducts Motivational Assemblies and Inspiring Performances for Special Events for external clients. Performances at over 30 community events per year include both free public shows and fee-based bookings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Prescott Circus Theatre is a nonprofit youth development organization that delivers circus arts education programs to Oakland youth, primarily through school-day and after-school residencies at eight Oakland public schools and seasonal summer and winter programs. Its curriculum covers juggling, acrobatics, stilt walking, clowning, hip hop dance, unicycle, tightwire, rola-bola, and hambone body percussion, integrated with academic enrichment and social-emotional learning, and culminates in free annual public performances.

Product overview

Prescott Circus Theatre is a youth development organization offering a portfolio of circus arts education programs for Oakland youth. The core offerings include year-round after-school and school-day residency programs teaching circus disciplines (juggling, acrobatics, stilt walking, clowning, unicycle, tightwire), seasonal summer and winter break programs with academic enrichment components, and free public performance series. The organization operates satellite programs at multiple Oakland public schools and collaborates with Kinetic Arts Center on the West Oakland Youth Circus Collaborative. All programs culminate in community performances where students showcase their skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Circus Arts Training Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 315 students engaged from September 2024 – July 2025 across OUSD school programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Prescott Elementary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrescott Elementary School in West Oakland is the primary home site for Prescott Circus Theatre. The organization was founded at Prescott Elementary and continues to operate its main performing company and summer programs from this location. The partnership has been central to PCT's identity for over 40 years.
• Kinetic Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrescott Circus Theatre partners with Kinetic Arts Center on the annual West Oakland Youth Circus Collaborative (WOYCC), now in its third year. The WOYCC brings together youth from both organizations to create and perform an original show in 27 hours. This is described as the first known collaboration between Bay Area youth circus organizations. Kinetic Arts Center donates rehearsal and performance space. The WOYCC builds bridges among East Bay youth from different socio-economic and racial backgrounds.
• Oakland Spirit Orchestra (OSO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrescott Circus Theatre has partnered with the Oakland Spirit Orchestra (OSO), a youth orchestra composed of elementary, middle, and high school students from West Oakland public schools, for multiple showcase performances. The OSO performed at the 2022 and 2023 Spring Showcases at Mosswood Park Amphitheater, combining circus performance with live orchestral music.
• Youth BeatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Beat, an Oakland-based non-profit youth media program, has been commissioned by Prescott Circus Theatre to create short documentaries about the West Oakland Youth Circus Collaborative (WOYCC). The 2023 WOYCC documentary was premiered at the November 10 show, with plans to submit to other circus companies and film festivals.
• Bay Area Community Resources (BACR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBay Area Community Resources provides after-school program leadership at multiple school sites where Prescott Circus Theatre operates residencies, including Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary. BACR has been a long-standing partner in sustaining circus programs through school transitions and relocations.
• Mosswood Recreation CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMosswood Recreation Center (operated by the City of Oakland) provides the venue for Prescott Circus Theatre's annual Spring Showcase performances. Recreation Center staff support event coordination.
• Oakland Asian Cultural CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Oakland Asian Cultural Center served as a venue partner for Prescott Circus Theatre's 2014 summer performances, hosting shows at 388 9th St. Oakland.
• YMCA East BayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYMCA East Bay partners with Prescott Circus Theatre through Bay Area Community Resources to support after-school circus programs, including stilt walking instruction at REACH Academy and Sankofa United.
• Pro Bono ASLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro Bono ASL provided American Sign Language interpretation services for Prescott Circus Theatre's 2023 Showcase 'Umbrella People' at Mosswood Park Amphitheater, supporting accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Global commercial circus entertainment enterprise that has historically partnered with Prescott Circus Theatre through benefit performances. Comparable as a circus industry leader, though operates a fundamentally different commercial-scale business model.

Direct peers

• SANCA (School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts): Seattle-based youth circus school providing recreational and social circus programming through after-school and community programs. Comparable as a youth-focused social circus organization with community partnership models, though operates in a different region.
• Circus Center (San Francisco): Bay Area circus school offering youth and adult programs in juggling, acrobatics, aerial arts, and clowning. Comparable as a Bay Area youth circus training organization with overlapping curriculum disciplines.
• Destiny Arts Center: Oakland-based nonprofit providing youth performing arts education including dance, theater, and martial arts to under-resourced youth. Comparable as an Oakland youth arts organization serving similar demographics and funded by overlapping foundation sources.
• Kinetic Arts Center: East Bay youth and adult circus arts organization that co-founded the West Oakland Youth Circus Collaborative (WOYCC) with Prescott Circus Theatre. Operates the same geographic region with a comparable circus-arts curriculum and youth development mission.
• The Circus Project (Portland): Portland-based nonprofit combining circus arts training with youth development for at-risk youth. Comparable as a social circus organization focused on positive youth development through circus skills.
• National Circus Project: National nonprofit providing circus arts education resources and programs to schools and youth organizations. Comparable as a social circus network organization supporting youth circus programming nationwide.

Others

• AYCO (American Youth Circus Organization): Industry trade association that recognized Prescott as one of 17 impactful U.S. social circus programs. Functions as a peer network, accreditation body, and convening organization for the youth circus sector in which PCT operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PrescottCircus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prescottcircustheatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Prescott Circus Theatre