About

Dr. Joseph Culpepper is a performance scholar, magician, and magic consultant.

Joe is an Associate Researcher and instructor at CRITAC (the Center for Circus Arts Research, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer) at the National Circus School of Montreal. He teaches magic history and its adaptation to the circus arts. He is a cofounder of the performance collective Ars Mechanica, a member of The Magic Circle in London, and works as a consultant for both private and public organizations.

Dr. Culpepper holds a PhD in comparative literature from the University of Toronto. His dissertation, “Reception and Adaptation: Magic Effects, Mysteries and Con Games,” analyzes how individuals experience magic through various media. A profile on his research can be found here.