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Media Kit
The CWB Newsroom
About CWB
- Mission
- History
- Impact
- Values
Clowns Without Borders (CWB)-USA is a global humanitarian organization with a clear mission:
We offer joy and laughter to relieve the suffereing of all persons, especially childern, who live in areas of crisis including refugee camps, conflict zones, and territories in situations of emergency.
Since 1995, Clowns Without Borders — USA has been traveling the world with laughter in tow. We were officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 2006 after a number of tours to places like Mexico, Napal, and Kosovo.
Today, CWB-USA has a recurring presence in Turkey, Zimbabwe, Mexico, as well as Egypt, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Brazil. We’ve responded to Ukrainian refugees and to stateless people living in Iraqi-Kurdistan.
CWB has reached tens of thousands of people around the world, providing them with much-needed respite from the hardships they face. Our programs have been instrumental in:
Our values guide our work and ensure that we are delivering effective and culturally appropriate programs.
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Fequently Asked Questions
Are donations tax-deductible?
Yes. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law, as Clowns Without Borders, Inc is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. EIN Tax ID is 20-4102508.
Check donations may be mailed to 624 West 139th Street, Suite 2A; New York, NY 10031. Check out our Donate page for more.
Are your audiences ever afraid of clowns?
Coulrophobia, or the fear of clowns, is often connected to cultural references (like It!) and to excessive makeup hiding the performer’s face. One of the reasons we don’t wear full makeup is because we never want our audience to be afraid or to not be able to see the performer’s natural features. Throughout Latin America, where we have many programs, clowns and street performers are a beloved and common part of the culture.
Do people in refugee camps really need clowns? What about medicine and food?
Just as food, safety, and shelter are necessary rights, so too are hope, laughter, and freedom of expression. One of the reasons we work with community partners is to make sure our program is not coming before basic needs are being met.
Do you only work with artists from the US?
No, we hire artists from all over the world. However, if there is Clowns Without Borders chapter in your home country, we recommend reaching out to them first. (You can find CWB’s international chapters here.)
How does CWB – USA define “crisis”?
Crisis can be an ambiguous term. For example, CWB – USA has worked in refugee camps, in shelters rapidly constructed after natural disasters, and in safe homes for women and children. We do not discriminate over which type of suffering deserves more attention. If a community says, “we are in crisis and we would like clowns,” we do everything we can to respond.
How does CWB decide where to go?
CWB goes where invited. We work with community partners to evaluate if we’ll truly meet the needs of our audiences. We’ve seen clowning have a positive impact in many situations, but respect that some communities might not want us to visit.
How much does it cost to go on a CWB tour?
Artists do not pay to participate. There is no pay-to-play option. The only way to go on a CWB tour is to go through the casting process, beginning with the application. This is how we maintain the highest performance standards.
To learn more about the types of artists we hire, look here at our featured artists. To apply to join us, check out our application page.
Is CWB connected to Doctors Without Borders?
No. Clowns Without Borders is not in any way affiliated with Doctors Without Borders (but we have partnered with them on tours!). Doctors Without Borders is a registered trademark of Médecins Sans Frontières International.
Is there anywhere you won’t perform?
Due to the devastating history of Orphanage Trafficking (children being trafficked and sold to orphanages to support voluntourism programs), we rarely work in orphanages.
What types of displacement does CWB respond to?
CWB responds to all types of displacement. We perform for refugees, internally displaced people, stateless people, migrants, and indigenous people. Additionally, we perform for communities who are not displaced, but who are in the process of surviving a crisis (such as an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or political instability).
Can I pay to participate?
No. CWB is not a voluntourism program. We exist thanks to generous donors who love what we do. However, only professional artists are hired to work with us.
Why don’t CWB clowns wear makeup or wigs?
CWB is part of a contemporary circus movement with minimal makeup. The goal is to emphasize the clown’s recognizable humanity. Often CWB performers will wear a red nose and use minimal make-up to highlight their eyes, lips and cheeks. Since we are often performing in close proximity to our audiences, more makeup could be overwhelming.