Virginia Commonwealth University Revives Creative Circus

When The Creative Circus announced it was closing in 2023, it was yet another nail in the coffin for portfolio schools, which have seen fewer students because of high prices. Virginia Commonwealth University has now acquired The Creative Circus and wants to make it more inclusive for undergraduates looking to get into the industry, and it’s getting help from agency McKinney for the relaunch. “We’re starting off doing a hybrid model so folks can work toward a certificate, but they can also choose a specialty,” Vann Graves, executive director of VCU's Brandcenter advertising and marketing school, told Adweek. Graves added that this new version of The Creative Circus aims to be more flexible. In the short term, the school will offer individual courses online, with the long-term goal of creating stackable credentials that could lead to an undergraduate degree if students choose to do so. The prices will be more affordable as well, and charged by the course. Classes will be offered both at VCU and online. Graves said they are still sorting out the details of pricing and when classes will start, but they are looking at summer 2024. The Creative Circus, the award-winning portfolio school from Ancora Education, has roughly 3,000 alumni and the loss to the industry was devastating to those who attended. The reincarnation by VCU as a hybrid program taught by marketing industry leaders and subject matter experts will help prepare today’s creatives for the industry. What Happened to Chicago Portfolio School? Students and Staff Want to Know VCU, which already includes the acclaimed Brandcenter master’s program, is planning to reopen The Creative Circus with a focus on copywriting, art direction, design and content creation. The program will offer a range of open enrollment classes and, soon after, will kick off its certificate program. When it was announced that The Creative Circus would be closing in April 2022, Brandcenter made the decision to offer support to Creative Circus students, which led to the acquisition of the school. VCU’s dean of the School of Business, Naomi Boyd, announced the acquisition by highlighting the importance of meeting today’s students where they are and creating a program that provides creatives with the opportunity to build their portfolio without the added expense of either an undergraduate or graduate degree. "The closure of The Creative Circus was a significant loss to the advertising industry, leaving a void that needs to be filled. Alumni of The Creative Circus have made a lasting impact not only nationally, but also internationally. It is with great pride that we are able to support the reopening of The Creative Circus, ensuring the continuity of this esteemed institution,” said Boyd in a statement. McKinney bolsters the offering It’s definitely in the interest of agencies, and the industry as a whole, to have more students in the pipeline, and McKinney has stepped up and provided a generous donation to support VCU's development of The Creative Circus to create even more access to education for a new generation of creative marketers. McKinney has had a close relationship with VCU for years and its staff teaches and lectures at the school, so it seemed a natural fit to bring the agency on board with the relaunch. Joe Maglio, CEO of McKinney, saw that providing the more affordable class-by-class format would help bring in new talent to the industry, and in turn to McKinney. “I hope it brings more talented, creatively minded people into the industry … who have the desire and the ambition, but may not have the opportunity,” Maglio told Adweek, adding that The Creative Circus will also help upskill current agency people, not just those new to the industry. In recognition of the importance of real-world experience, all classes at the new Creative Circus will be taught by “professors of practice,” an educational term to describe working professionals with subject matter expertise, and that will include McKinney employees. Graves is confident that both The Creative Circus and the Brandcenter can not only coexist but thrive while offering valuable resources for the industry. “Removing entry barriers and prioritizing inclusivity in education is a critical part of building a more diverse industry. The Creative Circus is the perfect complement to the success of the Brandcenter, and all of us here at VCU couldn’t be more excited to bring about its reopening with support from McKinney and other partners,” said Graves.

The Future of Agencies

Virginia Commonwealth University Acquires The Creative Circus

The advertising portfolio school will be relaunched with help from McKinney

Kyle O’Brien

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Kyle O’Brien