What the Closing of the Creative Circus Means to Ad Education

Industry veterans and educators weigh in on its legacy

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When the Creative Circus, the iconic advertising portfolio school in Atlanta, announced on LinkedIn that it was closing its doors after graduating its latest crop of students in 2023, the ad world took notice. Now it has to figure out what it means for the industry.

On one hand, it signaled the passing of a storied institution, one that placed many creatives in roles at agencies. On the other, the private school’s high tuition for a two-year program became prohibitive for many and may serve as a bellwether for other institutions who have similar setups.

It also may be a sign of the changing face of advertising education, one that has been evolving for the last few years and accelerated during the pandemic.

So what happened at Creative Circus?

David Haan, the executive director of the school, described the 27-year-old Circus’ closure as a result of a “perfect storm” of factors.

“There

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