RESOURCES
RESOURCES
BY AU D RE Y
H Y VO N EN
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
At SHOW Circus Studio in Easthampton, Mass, we had a big goal. We wanted to let more circus students
know about AYCO events that they could participate in. As SHOW Circus project manager, I wanted to
jumpstart the awareness of amazing circus events in our area, such as the upcoming World Circus
Summit for our circus youth and families in the northeast region. So operations assistant Tara Jacob
and I strategized an AYCO BUZZ week at our circus school. The plan was to create such a flurry of
information and interest for families, that despite the distractions of arranging the carpool for afterschool
activities and planning dinners, parents would still make time to learn about the festivals and workshops
that would be fun and educational for their family to attend. Those that tuned in discovered depth of
community and connection waiting for them in the larger circus world—and chances are they won
some fun AYCO swag too!
THE METHOD:
The main attraction of BUZZ week was the AYCO swag raffle. AYCO donated stickers, bracelets,
circus notebooks, a t-shirt, a duffle bag, a hoodie, DVDs of the 2013 and 2014 showcases, and a
year-long membership for one lucky youth winner. A simple desktop raffle was set-up in which
families agreed to have their email added to the AYCO newsletter list in exchange for a chance at
winning a prize in the raffle. There were 39 total entries and 24 winners of the assorted swag,
making the project a grand success. Winners were posted publicly to prolong the BUZZ
and maintain interest in the efforts to share the love of circus.
THE MADNESS:
BUZZ week contents were strewn around the studio to increase the BUZZ and
social media was employed to keep the word spreading.
THE RESULT:
SHOW Circus collected a full page of names of people interested in the
World Circus Summit and AYCO membership and a seed has been planted
that can now be cultivated. That equals more youth involved in circus
events!
If your circus school would like to host a Buzz week to raise interest in AYCO
and ACE sponsored programs, please contact Amy Cohen at
[email protected] to request a box of materials and raffle
items. For more information about SHOW, visit www.showcircusstudio.com.
1/
Banner posted on the SHOW Circus website, announcing the
AYCO raffle.
2/
Facebook posts, highlighting registration openings for the nearby
World Circus Summit, local AYCO festivals, and the national festival.
3/
4/
AYCO posters on the SHOW Circus hallway walls.
AYCO info table set-up to greet families entering the space
with free stickers, raffle entry slips, pens, newsletters, and
displayed prizes.
5/
Flyer packets, labeled with youth students names for tracking,
handed out in youth classes (including information about
SHOW Circus summer camps, the World Circus Summit, AYCO
membership, upcoming regional AYCO festivals, and the national
AYCO festival held every two years.)
6/
Email to entire SHOW Circus mailing list with deta ils.
7/
Newsletter mention of BUZZ week, as well as isolating the individual events yet
again, with live links and logos.
8/
Interest clipboards mounted on a public bulletin board, for families to list
their names and contact info to facilitate carpooling or even a school-
sponsored field trip to a regional event.
9/
Raffle prizes announced and distributed!