In the past 10-15 years our view of the circumnuclear material of active galactic nuclei (AGN) has completely changed thanks to the combination of new observations and models. In particular, infrared and sub-mm high angular resolution observations from ground-based observatories have been crucial to peer into the innermost regions of AGN and study the geometry and composition of the nuclear obscurer, and how it is connected with the central engine (feeding) and the host galaxy (feedback). In this talk I summarize recent observational results in the infrared and sub-mm ranges showing that the circumnuclear material of AGN is complex and highly dynamic, varying with the periods of nuclear activity, AGN luminosity and Eddington ratio. I also discuss future prospects in the field based on the upcoming JWST data that will greatly contribute to our knowledge of the immediate surroundings of AGN.