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Social circus is a unique form of social intervention that uses circus arts to work with youth and other disadvantaged groups. In this paper, we explore social circus in Montreal, with a particular focus on the work that the Cirque du Soleil has been doing in its social circus programme, Cirque du Monde. We explore the objectives of this programme, which are to assist individuals to become ‘active citizens’. The emphasis on cultivating neoliberal subjectivities raises questions about the instrumental nature of the programme. However, we suggest that social circus also has characteristics that can lead to the development of a potentially transformative politics and space, and examine forms of support that could develop spaces that would enhance this potential.