CircEsteem Receives ComEd Grant to Support Its Summer Performances

Performing last month at the Bean (photo courtesy CircEsteem)

Congratulations to Uptown's CircEsteem, which has been awarded a grant from ComEd's "Powering The Arts" program. The grant money will support its Advanced Performance Troupe’s summer performance tour, “CircEsteem around Chicago.”

CircEsteem, located at 4730 North Sheridan, is Chicago's only "social circus," and its mission is to "unite youth from diverse racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds and to help them build self-esteem and mutual respect through the practice and performance of circus arts."

Started in 2001 by Paul Miller, a former Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey clown, it trains and mentors youth from all over the city and performs citywide, including juggling, tight wire, gym wheel, clowning, stilt walking, unicycles and various aerial apparatus.

You can follow CircEsteem on Facebook or get more information at its website, circesteem.org.