PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Publication
Contact:
Blanca Lasalle
Creativelink
(212) 684-6001 Ext 101
blanca@creativelinkny.com
The Latino International Theater Festival of New York is awarded a $150,000 grant from the
Robert Sterling Clark Foundation to establish an
International Cultural Engagement Partnership with
SESC-São Paulo that will provide performance opportunities in Brazil for U.S. artists
Program launches on June 13, 2011 with Conference in New York
New York, NY, June 8, 2011 – The Robert Sterling Clark Foundation has awarded the Latino International Theater Festival of New York, Inc. (LITF/NY) a grant of $150,000 to enable Theater, Dance and Music performers featured at TeatroStageFest 2011 (June 4-18) to participate in the inaugural International Cultural Engagement Partnership (ICEP) between LITF/NY and "Social Services of Commerce", known as SESC, Brazil's national private network of over 300 cultural and artistic centers, the largest in Latin America. SESC also runs a cable TV channel, recording label and a publishing company. Major funding from the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and SESC-São Paulo, will allow ICEP traveling companies – José Limón Dance Company, La Criatura Theater Company and Bobby Sanabria and Quarteto Aché – to present in late summer a total of 18 performances, master classes and TalkBacks with local audiences and artists at 6 SESC venues in the city and state of São Paulo.
This marks a turning point for LITF/NY which also announces the 5th Anniversary edition of TeatroStageFest, taking place from June 4-18, 2011 throughout the City of New York. For the past five years, the festival has been the region's main window to visiting stage productions from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain featured side-by-side with local artists. Since 2007, TeatroStageFesthas showcased 582 local and international artists in 80 productions, partnered with 43 presenting organizations, and sponsored dozens of free workshops and panel discussions, among other events. In a first time reciprocal move, the inaugural LITF/NY – SESC-São Paulo International Cultural Engagement Partnership will be creating performance opportunities abroad for New York Latino artists.
"The Latino International Theater Festival of New York's alliance with SESC is a milestone that will enable our festival to expand its reach to Latin America. We are thrilled to introduce to São Paulo's diverse audiences this outstanding performance series by New York-Latino artists that captures the essence of the TeatroStageFest experience," said Susana Tubert, Executive Director of TeatroStageFest and LITF/NY's Co-Founder.
A comprehensive research report titled Promoting Public and Private Reinvestment in Cultural-Exchange-Based Diplomacy created by Margaret C. Ayers, President of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, points to the fact that the United States can no longer afford to ignore the value that artistic and cultural engagement programs bring to foreign policy initiatives. The commitment of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation in promoting regional and global investment in international arts engagement is a key aspect of the LITF/NY- SESC-SP alliance. "The Robert Sterling Clark Foundation considers it vital to develop sustainable relationships such as the International Cultural Engagement Partnership (ICEP) that will inspire new models of cooperation between artists and presenting organizations in the United States and Latin America," expressed Margaret C. Ayers, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation.
When asked about the importance of the ICEP Partnership, Danilo Santos de Miranda, Regional Director of SESC cultural centers in São Paulo, said: "SESC-SP and TeatroStageFest will be spearheading a pivotal exchange of ideas on how U.S. and Brazilian institutions fund the presentation of culture to their respective audiences. This program marks the start of a strategic collaboration both onstage and behind the scenes that will enrich both of our institutions."
To celebrate the start of ICEP, TeatroStageFest is presenting a free round table discussion on June 13, 2011 at 6:30pm, hosted by the Americas Society, that will bring together Danilo Santos de Miranda, Regional Director of SESC-São Paulo, Margaret Ayers, President of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, and Larry Rohter, culture reporter for The New York Times and author of Brazil on the Rise. The discussion will provide an overview of SESC's notable arts funding model and the Foundation's vision of new funding mechanisms that will allow U.S. artists to perform overseas, and engage in long lasting collaborations. Susan Segal, CEO of the Council of the Americas and Susana Tubert, Executive Director and Co-Founder of LITF/NY will introduce the panelists and ICEP Program, respectively. The event has additional support from the Consulate General of Brazil in New York and The Americas Society.
TeatroStageFest encourages audiences to RSVP by visiting www.teatrostagefest.org or emailing their reservations for the Conference by email to: reservations@teatrostagefest.org Also, to follow the latest updates on the ICEP, visit the TeatroStageFest pages on Facebook and Twitter.
For all press inquiries, contact: Blanca Lasalle – CreativeLink, 212-684-6001 Ext. 101 / blanca@creativelinkny.com
About SESC
The Social Services of Commerce (SESC) model has been successfully incentivizing and democratizing access to a thriving arts and culture movement in Brazil since 1946. Funding for SESC is made possible through a tax law that mandates that every business contribute 1.5% of its total payroll into a SESC fund, which, in 2010, totaled nearly US$599 million. SESC provides free to subsidized tickets to artistic and cultural events, sports, education and social services nationwide. Under the direction of Danilo Santos de Miranda, SESC-Sao Paulo continues to play a leading role in Brazil by serving millions of citizens annually through its comprehensive scope of activities. – www.sescsp.org.br
About the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation
The Robert Sterling Clark Foundation currently supports nonprofit organizations conducting work in three program areas: Protecting Reproductive Rights, Improving the Performance of Public Institutions in New York, and a new initiative-Promoting International Arts Engagement. The objective of the arts initiative is to help develop global understanding in communities throughout the world that have limited contact with American culture, and to introduce American audiences to cultures that rarely are represented in the U.S. The initial plans are to support international engagement between U.S. visual and performing arts organizations and their counterparts in Latin America, Africa, and parts of the Middle East. – www.rsclark.org
About TeatroStageFest
TeatroStageFest is New York's premier artistic and cultural celebration of Great Theater for All Audiences! The festival's producing organization, Latino International Theater Festival of New York, Inc., has been presenting renowned international theater companies from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain since 2007 to New York audiences citywide. This year's 5th anniversary edition will showcase from June 4-18, 2011 groundbreaking Theater, Dance, Music and Puppetry productions from New York and Ibero-America. For a full calendar of events, visit www.teat
rostagefest.org or call 212-695-4010. TeatroStageFest is an Official Event of the NYC Latin Media and Entertainment Commission, and counts with support from American Airlines, and Principal Media Sponsors NY1, El Diario/La Prensa and Telemundo 47, among other partners. It is presented by the Latino International Theater Festival of New York, Inc. – www.teatrostagefest.org
USEFUL INFORMATION:
WHAT: TeatroStageFest Conference: Brazil's unique arts funding model and the launch of the first institutional partnership between SESC-São Paulo and Latino International Theater Festival of New York, Inc.
WHEN: Monday June 13, 2011 at 6:30PM
WHERE: The Americas Society
680 Park Avenue (at 68th Street)
TICKETS: A free event. To reserve, email: reservations@teatrostagefest.org
Indicate: Name of event/Number of tickets/Name of person making the reservation/phone number
