Since 1998, AYCO has been promoting the participation of youth in circus arts and supporting circus educators through the following activities:

• Providing information and training
• Connecting and convening
• Advocacy
• Setting standards and guidelines for safety for the circus sector in the USA
• Developing Social Circus in the USA
• Supporting educators and organizations via the American Circus Educators Association (ACE) branch, founded in 2014

In support of these aims, AYCO and ACE:

Produce the alternating biennial American Youth Circus Festival and ACE Educators’ Conference

• Host regional circus festivals and showcases
• Foster communication among circus arts educators and organizations
• Collaborate with other circus networks around the world
• Publish American Circus Educators Magazine
• Provide circus arts coaches with training procedures and guidelines for safety standards
• Promote youth circus activities through positive media coverage and regular newsletters
• Advocate for increased support for circus education
• Send member ambassadors to circus performances around the USA
• Support studies about the positive outcomes of circus
• Develop social circus via the Social Circus Initiative