In the spring of 2020, a small group of circus practitioners began convening over zoom calls to talk about how the COVID-19 crisis was affecting them and their professional endeavors. Over the course of a few months, this group grew, and the scope of the conversation expanded to include many issues facing the American circus industry. The group informally named itself the Circus Task Force, and formed small working groups to address several of these key issues: building a national coalition for the circus industry; recognition of circus as an art form; equity, diversity, and inclusion; response to the COVID-19 crisis; bridging the gap between circus students and the profession; and creating a code of ethics. New work groups – now committees – have been added to address potential services for the field, including a group insurance plan for individuals and organizations. As this work continued and more key issues were identified, the Task Force invited individuals whose expertise could help in our work – growing to over 50 people, with an effort to form a national service and advocacy organization for the performance and production of circus. The group nominated individuals from within its ranks to sit on an Interim Board of Directors in order to pursue 501c3 nonprofit status and launch the American Circus Alliance. That work is ongoing.