What Is Wise Fool?
The court jester, or “wise fool,” was known for using disarming spectacle and humor to inform the views of those in power, especially when the king’s advisors were unable to address controversial matters without the fear of retribution. Historically Wise Fool utilizes this “back door” approach to opening sensitive dialogue around social issues such as censorship, water rights and land use, domestic violence, immigration and borders.
Over the past 25+ years, Wise Fool produced over 38 original performances, including two nationally outdoor spectacles that toured throughout the US and Canada. Its community of artists created hundreds of puppets, taught circus arts to children at multiple schools, and worked with kids and adults from 13 different Native communities. In Santa Fe, Wise Fool is a beloved and award-winning nonprofit at the center of The City Different’s vibrant performing arts scene.
Early History
In 1998, Wise Fool began as a collective of queer womXn, comprised of members of Wise Fool Puppet Intervention in San Francisco and Northern New Mexican activists. Together they began exploring puppetry and circus arts as a vehicle to promote social justice and to develop healthy communities. Out of garages and in old horse corrals in Cerrillos, New Mexico Wise Fool’s founding performers built grassroots circuses, offered giant puppet processions, and taught our first summer circus camps.
In 2000, Wise Fool New Mexico was officially born, becoming a nonprofit organization with a 501(c)(3) status. A few years later, the organization moved into a warehouse in Santa Fe, started teaching circus arts to children at schools throughout New Mexico, and offered arts curriculums connected to conflict resolution, culture, and science.
Milestones & Transformation
Growing, Creating, Evolving
In 2003, Wise Fool started creating custom-tailored event entertainment and performances, which became very successful. The organization started touring extensively across the US and abroad. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival invited Wise Fool in 2017 to offer workshops in giant puppet making and parade them prominently on the national mall in Washington, DC.
Upon moving to a significantly larger studio in 2015, Wise Fool transformed its capacity to offer expanded programming. The new space featured high ceilings, allowing for the construction of a state-of-the-art aerial training facility, alongside a custom-made sprung floor, which provided a comfortable base for the rest of its circus and movement teachings.
Additionally, the space was designed to function as a black box theater venue, seating for up to 130 people. This became the home of Wise Fool’s seasonal community showcases, where students of all levels were invited to perform, as well as annual professional-level circus productions, which employed local artists and ignited awareness of social issues.
Wise Fool’s productions repeatedly address historical trauma and highlight consumerism, censorship, racism, domestic violence and have impacted audiences and provoked dialogue. Furthering its commitment to the broader arts community, Wise Fool offered their performance venue at a sliding scale rental rate to other local organizations – sometimes at no cost whatsoever.
This expansion marked a pivotal moment in Wise Fool’s growth, enabling the organization to deepen its impact and broaden its artistic reach. In 2019, all programs combined engaged 16,137 individuals through education programs, cabarets, performances, and community events. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wise Fool swiftly adapted to a virtual model, providing free online classes and creative engagement to hundreds of youth, families, and adults.
Each year, youth programs reach close to 1,500 eager minds through Circus Comes to School (CCS) and afterschool programs, camps, and intensives such as Teen Troupe and Teen BUST!. Wise Fool is able to reach 76% economically disadvantaged, 80% BIPOC (Hispanic & Native American), and 13% disabled people through its programs.
A New Chapter
Testing Wise Fool's Resilience
In 2024, Wise Fool faced another major turning point upon learning that their lease would not be renewed – marking the loss of a vital community space. The organization launched the “Save the Circus” campaign in the fall, calling on the community to help this step into a new chapter. Thanks to this support, in January 2025, Wise Fool made the difficult transition out of the building they had called home for close to a decade.
Rather than halting their work, this shift marked a return to Wise Fool’s origins as a “Traveling Circus” model, reconnecting with the heart of their mission to be in direct relationship with the community. The organization transformed a challenge into an opportunity, deepening partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and cultural centers to offer free or low-cost programming that remains accessible to all.
