Works Progress Administration Circus

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a U.S. government program established in 1935 during the Great Depression. Its primary goal was to provide employment for millions of unemployed individuals, preserving their skills and self-respect. The WPA funded numerous public works projects, including roads, bridges, parks, and public buildings. It also supported cultural initiatives through the Federal Arts Project, Federal Writers' Project, and Federal Theater Project, employing artists, writers, and actors.

During the 1930s and 1940s, the WPA also sponsored the Works Progress Administration Circus. This was the only instance of a state-run circus in the United States, created to offer employment during the economic hardships of the Great Depression. The WPA was terminated in 1943 as the wartime economy led to the elimination of unemployment.12