With support from the California Arts Council, Circo Zero will stabilize and sustain our operations and programs after a financially disruptive year of cancellations, lost revenue, and pivots to online programming. Funds will be used to reduce organizational economic vulnerability caused by COVID and to support our general operations.
In addition to creating and producing works of politically-engaged performances, Circo Zero provides the following programs and services:
• Fabric: A series of intergenerational and interracial LGBTQ community impact events featuring free trainings, community talks, gatherings, and performances in the Bay Area. This eighteen month-long project offers audience engagement, professional development for artists, and serves the broader field of the arts with necessary public conversations and accessible education.
• Teaching: Classes and workshops the intersections of experimental art practices, political healing, and expanding capacity for civic engagement, collective care, and creating community-responsive art
• Artistic Solidarity Services for QT/BIPOC artists, including:
* free grant writing, production support, marketing, and consulting
* fiscal sponsorship with fees ~50% less than other fiscal sponsors (5% fee compared to the 10%-12% norm)
* free mentorship, professional development, and career counseling to elevate local artists creatively, administratively, and financially
* free equipment library including sound, lights, costumes, and set
* activism and community organizing to advocate for QT/BIPOC artists and against structural inequities in the field
* to be like the river, a Black led and produced annual free retreat program for QTBIPOC, led by jose abad and Steph Hewett (2021-2024, served over 100 artists)
* Connecting Yaqui California, a project envisioned and led by Snowflake Calvert, which provided multiple events serving Native and Two-Spirit communities (2021-2023 served over 250 audiences and 32 artists)

