Community Outreach

Beyond the Big Top

Artistic Director and Producer, Ivor David Balding, strongly believes that Circus is an art form that should be available for all to enjoy and experience. As all who attend a Circus Flora performance know, the experience transcends boundaries of age, gender, race and socio-economic status.

One of the oldest performing arts, circus functions as a universal language - a performance of the human body, a community activity that unites the hearts and souls of everyone - filling a need present inside each and every human being, that cannot be sustained by the icy glare of a television or computer screen.

Putting this belief into practice, Circus Flora has developed and implemented a range of outreach and educational programs.

Share the Circus

Family activities are integral to our society - any opportunities for quality time spent with others helps weave together the threads of our separate lives. The importance of children bonding with mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents is inescapable.

In recognition of this, Circus Flora has established the "Share the Circus" program, in which tickets are given, free of charge, to children and families from underserved communities. . In 2008, Circus Flora partnered with several area organizations in order to create family experiences through the magic of Circus. The American Diabetes Association used the opportunity as a way to educate parents on how to take care of their children with diabetes. The Birthday Foundation held its June Birthday Party at the circus for children that are homeless, disadvantaged or facing medical crisis. Circus Flora plans to continue to build partnerships with area organizations through the Share the Circus ticket donation program.

Through the generosity of many contributors, thousands of children (more than 3,500 in 2008 alone) have experienced the joy and wonder of Circus Flora's performances. By partnering with non-profits in the St. Louis area, Circus Flora is able to offer children an art form which they otherwise would never experience.

Community Circus Camps

The trainers in the Community Circus Camps utilize performance skills to better the lives of underserved children from the city neighborhoods in which Circus Flora performs. These camps are held during Circus Flora's performance run, taking advantage of the unique opportunity to provide children with a once-in-a-lifetime experience under a real big-top tent, utilizing professional equipment, animals and the skills of the Flying Wallendas, the Zoppé family and other world-class performers.

In 2010, Circus Flora will partner for a second year with Craft Alliance in Grand Center to provide an enhanced all day arts experience for the participants - mornings creating visual arts with professional instructors, and afternoons under the big top.