Trump's Cutbacks Hurting America's Accredited Circus Arts School in Philly
Tuesday, May 06, 2025
$15,000 NEA Grant for funding end-of-the-year production withdrawn
Philadelphia, PA (May 6, 2025)(CNBNews)-- With less than a month before opening night, the graduating class at Circadium School of Contemporary Circus has been dealt a devastating blow: the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has abruptly withdrawn a long-anticipated $15,000 grant that was to fund this year’s end-of-year production, The Garden of Earthly Delights. The decision leaves the show, scheduled to premiere May 30–31, 2025, as part of the Philadelphia Contemporary Circus Festival, in serious jeopardy.
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The cancellation appears to stem directly from a wave of Executive Orders signed by President Donald Trump, which, alongside a broader slate of authoritarian-leaning directives associated with Project 2025, appear designed to dismantle the charitable arts and culture sector in the United States. The grant was applied for and is due in 2024, and has been in motion for over one year. To be clear, this is not a grant and award for future projects in the next fiscal year, but for the period for programs and events that are dated January to June 2025. Notice of its termination came through an automated email message simultaneously sent to hundreds of artists and arts organizations throughout the country in the last few days.
In a sudden and unexpected announcement, the NEA declared:
“The National Endowment for the Arts will no longer offer award funding for the project....The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President. Consequently, we are terminating awards that fall outside these new priorities. Funding is being allocated in a new direction to further the administration's agenda."
This loss of funding comes after months of dedicated work by Circadium’s students and artistic team, under the direction of acclaimed French circus artist Daniel Gulko, the artistic director of the circus company Cahin-Caha. The Garden of Earthly Delights, a multidisciplinary performance, was shaping up to be a landmark event for the students—and for contemporary circus in the United States.
“This is a shocking development,” said Shana Kennedy, Executive Director of Circadium. “We received no prior indication that our funding was at risk. Our students have poured their hearts, bodies, and creativity into this production, and now we are left scrambling to determine how—or even whether— the show can go on. It is unclear whether we can raise the funds in time to replace what has been lost.”
Circadium is the first and only fully accredited school of higher education for circus arts in the United States, and offers a diploma-granting three-year program to cultivate a new generation of circus creators. The school has earned national recognition for its innovative curriculum and for expanding the boundaries of contemporary performance.
The NEA’s withdrawal of our grant approval raises questions about how emerging and nontraditional art forms will continue their important work in the future. Circadium’s end-of-year productions are more than student showcases—they are world-class theatrical events that bring together artists, directors, and audiences from across the country and world.
As the community reels from this abrupt policy shift, Circadium remains committed to supporting its students and exploring every possible avenue to ensure that The Garden of Earthly Delights reaches the stage.
“We will do everything in our power to keep this production alive,” Kennedy said. “But we need help.”
ABOUT CIRCADIUM SCHOOL OF CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS
Circadium is a non-profit, accredited vocational school, with the mission of cultivating, inspiring, and innovating contemporary circus performance in America. Their 3-year full-time curriculum includes classes in Acrobatics, Aerials, Object Manipulation, Physical Theatre, Movement, along with supplementary work in Marketing, Production, Prop-Building, and Circus History. A strong emphasis is placed on creation and entrepreneurship. They are a member of the European Federation of Professional Circus Schools.