named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Gay Life on the Carnival Lot, 1940s to the Present
Interview series exploring LGBTQ+ history in sideshow and carnival performance, hosted by Jennifer Miller with impresario Ward Hall
In Conversation Series
Public dialogue events featuring artists and performers discussing themes such as identity, history, and LGBTQ+ experiences in the performing arts
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
- Conduct circus and performance workshopsHosts circus workouts, creative workshops, and works-in-progress showings for participants of all skill levels, including sessions at LAVA Studio and weekly sessions in February 2016, as part of ongoing educational and ensemble development activities.
- Teach performance arts in schools and universitiesConducts educational outreach by teaching circus and performance arts in New York City public schools and at university level institutions.
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Experimental Circus and Immersive Theater Production 1 activity
- Create and present political circus-theater performancesProduces and performs political, one-ring circus-theater spectacles combining traditional circus skills with experimental dance, puppetry, music, and gender-bending performance art in public parks and diverse neighborhoods across New York City since 1989. Performances include works such as "THE DOUBLE, or, The Wisdom of the Owl" and "Red Giant."
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Post-Performance Audience Engagement 1 activity
- Host public arts and conversation seriesOperates an "In Conversation Series" program and co-hosts mega festivals with Great Small Works, providing platforms for dialogue and large-scale community arts engagement.
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Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Participate in activist and community campaignsEngages in activist initiatives such as The Milk Not Jails Campaign and participates in cultural collectives like the Sukkos Mob, integrating performance with social justice advocacy.
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Nonprofit Music Recording and Distribution 1 activity
- Produce and perform with musical ensemblesFeatures original music in performances through collaborations with ensembles such as The Electric Junkyard Gamelan and includes a rotating roster of musicians; also released the album "Megaphone Heart" in April 2012.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$30K
Contributions & grants$21K68%
Program service revenue$10K32%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$32K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$25K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$5K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$2K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -25.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 1
- Ashley Brockington — Director
relationships · 25
Who they work with
- Auf Tslokhes Ladies Auxiliary Partner — Collaborates on staging giant pageants.
- BIG SKY WORKS Partner — Hosted Circus Amok's informal workout sessions at its facility in Williamsburg.
- Bread and Puppet Theater Partner — Source of influence and inspiration for large-scale transformation using whole-body masks in performances.
- Brooklyn Arts Council Funder — Provided the Individual Artist Re-Grant to support the "Brooklyn Bike Beat" project.
- Charles Ludlam’s Theater of the Ridiculous Partner — Source of influence for drag fabulousness and theatrical style in Circus Amok performances.
- Copper Henningfield Partner — Tours in collaborative performance "La Ciudad, The Magic Box of NYC."
- Great Small Works Partner — Co-hosts mega festivals and collaborates on theatrical productions.
- Jenny Romaine Partner — Performer and musician in Circus Amok productions.
- Jessica Lurie Partner — Performer and musician in Circus Amok productions.
- LAVA Studio Partner — Hosted Circus Amok workshops and practice sessions at its space.
- Lee Frisari Partner — Performer and musician in Circus Amok productions.
- Mary Feaster Partner — Performer and musician in Circus Amok productions.
- Pratt Institute Partner — Jennifer Miller, founder of Circus Amok, is an associate professor of performance at Pratt Institute.
- Sukkos Mob Partner — Participates in the Yiddish spectacle singing and music group.
- The Electric Junkyard Gamelan Partner — Ensemble with which Mary Feaster performs, using instruments built from household and industrial objects.
- The Milk Not Jails Campaign Partner — Engages in advocacy and performance activities with the campaign.
- Tina Richerson Partner — Performer and musician in Circus Amok productions.
- Tiptons Sax Quartet Partner — Longstanding musical collaboration as a member of the Tiptons Sax Quartet.
- Ward Hall Partner — Featured as a guest in the In Conversation Series
- carlton-ward Partner — Carlton Ward, linked via circusamok.org/carlton-ward/, participated as a performer.
- ilandsymposium.wordpress.com Partner — Jennifer Monson, linked to ilandsymposium.wordpress.com, participated as a performer.
- lava brooklyn Partner — Linked through performer Sarah Johnson, associated with lava brooklyn.
- scottheron.org Partner — Scotty Heron, linked to scottheron.org, participated as a performer.
- tanya gagne Partner — Performer Tanya Gagne, linked to her personal website, participated in productions.
- themammyproject.com Partner — Matlock, associated with themammyproject.com, participated in productions.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Arts-Based Engagement Through Circus-Theater Fusionmethodology: arts_based_engagementBy integrating alternative circus, theater, dance, and drag performance, we create transformative public spectacles that engage audiences in social critique and justice, because immersive, non-traditional art forms disrupt conventional narratives and foster emotional resonance with complex issues.
- Integrated Live Music as Sonic Storytellingmethodology: integrated_live_musicBy composing genre-blending music and integrating live performance with repurposed instruments, we deepen narrative impact in circus-theater productions, because experimental soundscapes enhance emotional engagement and reinforce thematic critique.
- Peer-Based Informal Practice for Inclusive Participationmethodology: peer_based_informal_practiceBy offering unstructured circus practice spaces, we enable community members to learn alongside performers through peer-based interaction, because removing formal hierarchies in skill-sharing fosters accessibility, ownership, and sustained engagement in the arts.
- Queer Celebration as Community Empowermentmethodology: queer_celebration_as_empowermentBy centering queer spectacle and gender-bent performance, we foster visions of empowered community interaction, because celebratory, identity-affirming art builds collective agency and challenges normative social structures through joy and visibility.