Circus Smirkus

Circus Smirkus is an award-winning international youth circus founded in 1987 and described by The Boston Globe as “one of New England’s most treasured cultural and educational resources.” Based on a 38-acre parcel of land in Greensboro, Vermont, and nestled among the rolling hills of the Northeast Kingdom, the organization is dedicated to promoting the skills, culture, and traditions of the traveling circus and to inspiring youth to engage in life-changing adventures in the circus arts. Circus Smirkus comprises three principal programs: Smirkus Big Top Tour takes place every summer, during which about 30 young people aged 10-18 spend three weeks at the Greensboro HQ to create and rehearse a new circus production and then take it on the road throughout New England for professional quality performances under our 720-seat big top circus tent. Smirkus Camp offers the country’s only residential circus arts training—ranging from one-day to two-week sessions—conducted in a traditional summer camp setting. Smirkus School Residencies provide opportunities for trained circus professionals to come to schools throughout the North East to teach children circus arts in an educational environment. Circus Smirkus has just succeeded in a $2 million challenge grant towards our $3.5 million Capital Campaign to construct a permanent, purpose-built summer camp facility, which will enable the project to be expanded to include 200 more campers each summer. At Smirkus we believe the universal allure of the performing arts, and circus in particular, helps children to form friendships and bonds that transcend the barriers of economic situation, class, culture, geography, age, and ability.