Cirque du Soleil has invited more than 400 social circus organizations to share information that could benefit the whole movement.

Today, Cirque du Soleil announced the launch of a major survey of social circus organizations. The company has sent the survey to more than 400 organizations around the world and will be gathering data for one month. It expects to compile and release the results later this year. The social circus movement has grown significantly over the past few years, with organizations around the world promoting social change through circus instruction and performance. Many of these organizations scramble to justify their existence to potential funders from the private, corporate, and government sectors, which tend not to recognize “circus” as a deserving grant recipient. In some countries, social circus programs are forced to define how their activities fit into categories donors are more likely to support, for example arts enrichment, physical education, and community service. Program managers claim a number of...