Uniting Youth Across chicago Through Circus Arts

We are a judgement-free, inclusive neighborhood hub, where youth build lasting relationships through collaboration and performance. We actively partner with families and like-minded organizations throughout the Chicago area to create resource-rich environments for the youth we serve.

CircEsteem provides youth opportunities to evolve artistically, personally, and professionally. Our students uphold the principles of resilience, unity, creative expression, and self-advocacy.

We are creative leaders with a passion for youth development who are role models facilitating culturally responsive relationships within our community through intelligence, diversity, equity and inclusion. We approach this work with humility, patience, love, and continued self-reflection. We are active participants in strengthening our organizational culture.

We meet youth where they are. In order to cultivate a safe space for participants to take risks and experience success while being uniquely themselves, we have adopted practices that work to challenge systematized class structures. We center youth voices as we support their growth as individuals and members of the CircEsteem community.