Make*A*Circus

Make*A*Circus

Company type	Non-profit organization
Industry	Circus, Performing arts, Education
Founded	1975
Defunct	2002
Headquarters	San Francisco , United States
Area served	San Francisco Bay Area and California
Products	Circus performances, circus skill workshops, educational events

Make*A*Circus functioned as a professional, recreational, and educational circus organization that hosted complimentary, full-day events where children could watch expert performances, participate in circus skill workshops, and showcase their own talents.

Primarily active in under-resourced communities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and California, it engaged between 400 and 700 children per event over a span of 25 years, from 1975 until 2002.

Origins

Make*A*Circus traces its roots back to the Inter-Action theater initiative in London, established by community educator Edward David Berman in 1968. Actor Peter Frankham partnered with visual artist Liz Leyh to develop her idea of "council estate" youth improvising parade and circus acts using handmade props and costumes. Each performance was distinct.

Upon relocating to San Francisco in 1974, Frankham initially performed as a street busker before securing funding from the San Francisco Arts Commission's Neighborhood Arts Program to produce community-based art projects.

By 1975, this effort became among the earliest to utilize federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) funding to hire artists during the Carter administration. Frankham received a monthly financial support.

His goal was to create a "circus with a purpose," aimed specifically at disadvantaged youth. The inaugural Make*A*Circus event took place in 1975, with rehearsals held at The Farm community center.

In 1976, Frankham assumed control of a dormant non-profit corporation; Make*A*Circus and Talespinners—a theater troupe serving elderly audiences—were incorporated into Feedback Productions.

Make*A*Circus operated through a collective model, where Frankham and core artists jointly made decisions regarding themes, administration, and artistic direction. Members shared responsibilities beyond performing and engaged in planning meetings, evaluations, and educational sessions.

A Day at the Circus

A typical day for Make*A*Circus began with the team arriving early to assemble bleachers, set up the circus ring, lay down mats, arrange backdrops, and establish sideshow booths as local community groups brought children they supported. Teen apprentices connected to the San Francisco Summer Youth program (now known as the Mayor's Youth Employment and Education Program) handled face painting and organized games.

Between 1975 and 1983, a midday parade took place featuring children marching through the neighborhood to gather performers stationed along a predetermined route who then joined the main event.

At 1:00 pm sharp, the single-ring circus performance started, showcasing jugglers, clowns, acrobats, and acts such as stilts walking, slack-rope balancing, fire-eating, trapeze artistry, and unicycling. Clown routines provided narrative cohesion; starting in 1980, all acts were woven into an overarching storyline. A live brass band accompanied the performances. Many artists and musicians involved were professionals also affiliated with ensembles like the Pickle Family Circus and San Francisco Mime Troupe.

At 2:00 pm, children selected from workshops teaching circus skills they had observed earlier. These sessions lasted about 30 minutes and included groups of 10 to 30 participants.

By 3:00 pm, a second show featured the children performing as clowns, acrobats, jugglers, slack-rope walkers, stilt performers, musicians, among other roles—supported by adult performers with live band accompaniment.

San Francisco parks

Bay View Playground, Crocker-Amazon Recreation Center, Holly Park in Bernal Heights, Father Boedecker Park located in The Tenderloin, Dolores Park, Glen Park, Sharon Meadows within Golden Gate Park, Hamilton Park in The Fillmore, Hunters Point Gym, Rossi Playground in The Richmond district, Sunset Recreation Center, Visitacion Valley Park, Washington Square Park, Youngblood Coleman Park in Bayview, Upper Noe Playground, and Precita Park in the Mission area.

San Francisco Bay Area

Cities served include Alameda, Berkeley, Brisbane, Concord, Cupertino, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Hayward, Los Altos, Martinez, Millbrae, Newark, Novato, Pittsburg, Oakland, Redwood City, San Jose, San Mateo, Sausalito, South San Francisco, and Sunnyvale.

Central California

Locations encompass Bakersfield, Bishop, Delano, Dos Palos, Keyes, Livermore, Fairfield, Fresno, Los Altos, Los Banos, Mammoth Lakes, Merced, Modesto, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Seaside, Stockton, Visalia, Waterford, and Watsonville.

Additionally included are Alhambra, Anaheim, Carlsbad, Covina, East Los Angeles area, Fontana, Glendale, La Mesa, Lancaster, Long Beach, Los Angeles city proper, Manhattan Beach, Paramount, Pasadena, Point Mogu region, Pomona, Poway, Riverside area communities such as Rowland Heights; also San Diego metropolitan area locations including Santa Barbara and Santa Maria as well as Torrance.

Northern California

Covered areas include Auburn city limits; Davis; Forks of Salmon; Alturas within Modoc County; Rio Linda; Sacramento; and Willows.

Funding sources

Make*A*Circus obtained financial support through a variety of philanthropic foundations alongside corporate partnerships and government initiatives.

• Public sector funding originated from entities such as the California Arts Council; National Endowment for the Arts; San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund; and the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department.
• Philanthropic foundations providing grants comprised the Elise Haas Foundation; Fred and Carl Gellert Foundation; Guy F. Atkinson Foundation; David and Lucille Packard Foundation; Levi Strauss Foundation; LJ Skaggs and Mary C. Scaggs Foundation; San Francisco Foundation; Morris Stulsaft Foundation; and Zellerbach Foundation.
• Corporate backers included Arco; Chevron USA; Citicorp Savings Foundation; Clorox Company; IBM; Mervyn's Corporation; Rosenberg Capital Management Trust; Sears Roebuck and Company; Shell Oil; Sohio Petroleum; Target Stores; and TRW Corporation.