The White House Office of Public Engagement Hosts Circus Arts Listening Session

This Friday, the Eisenhower Executive Office at the White House will host a groundbreaking event for the circus arts industry: “A Circus Arts Listening Session”. This historic meeting, organized by the U.S. Labor Department, will focus on important issues such as Labor & Workers’ Rights, Circus Arts Recognition, and other critical topics related to the future of circus arts in the United States.

The Listening Session will highlight the potential impacts of officially recognizing circus arts through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The discussions will cover various aspects, including increased safety regulations through initiatives like SafeArt and SafeCircus, the development of labor rights for circus workers, and possible legislation such as the Circus Arts Rights Act. Additionally, the Listening Session will address the expansion of circus arts education, the integration of circus programs in higher learning institutions, and visa and immigration policies for international circus performers. During the session, administration officials will share more on how the Biden-Harris Administration is supporting the arts and humanities, creative economy, and workers’ rights more broadly.

Event will take place  Friday, September 20th 10:00 AM at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, The White House.  No public attendance or livestream is permitted. StageLync will bring you a short summary after the event.

Key Panelists:

Shenea Stiletto – Co-Creator of the Circus Arts Listening Session, Founder of the Circus Arts Guild of America (CAGA)
Pavel Kotov – CEO of REARTIX Artistic Consulting & Most Recently Senior Casting Director/Business and Strategy Executive for Cirque du Soleil
Ju’Riese Colon – CEO of SafeSport
Dr. Nathan Hollister – Founder of Circus Meets Medicine
Althea Erickson– Former VP at Etsy( Advocacy & Impact)
Joseph Pinzon – Founder of Short Round Productions and Artistic Director for Bazaar at Cirque du Soleil
Martha Kinsella – Representative from the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA)
Brandon Lorenz – Actor’s Equity Association
Representative from OSHA

This Listening Session was informed by a petition submitted by Shenea Stiletto and Elena Brocade on behalf of the Circus Arts Guild of America (CAGA) to the NEA. The petition advocates for recognizing the U.S. circus arts industry as an independent arts category. Currently, circus arts fall under the multidisciplinary arts category, which encompasses a variety of performing, visual, media, and design arts. The petition argues that circus arts require their own category to meet their specific needs and ensure adequate representation and funding.

The recognition of circus arts by the NEA would have widespread benefits, including:

• Increased Funding and Grants: Dedicated grants for circus arts would support its growth and impact on the national and international arts economy.
• Improved Safety Regulations: Circus workers would benefit from specific safety policies tailored to the unique risks of their profession, leading to better protections.
• Enhanced Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Recognition would drive efforts to ensure fair representation within the industry.
• Education and Higher Learning: Accreditation and the integration of circus arts into physical education, after-school programs, and degree courses in universities.

The circus arts industry has already benefited from NEA grants in the past, with organizations like the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) and Parallel Exit receiving significant funding to expand their reach. However, greater recognition would further support these efforts and open up more opportunities for growth, safety, and education within the industry.

This Listening Session marks a pivotal moment for the circus arts community, aiming to elevate its status as a vital contributor to the U.S. arts landscape. By officially recognizing circus arts as an independent category, the NEA can help solidify its role in both the national and international arts scene.

As Shenea Stiletto emphasized, “Recognition of the U.S. Circus Arts industry by the NEA would have an outsized effect to support the well-being of our community and promote the formation of cultural policy at the national, regional, and local levels.”

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