Michael Chekhov Brasil community startup

Please help us create a strong [EMBRACE] gesture to help actors/artists live through the current crisis hitting Rio de Janeiro, a city very much bearing the brunt of Brazil's political/social/economic turmoil, with the rise of the far-right and its wilful stifling of culture/education, the disregard of the rule of law and increasing attacks on minorities.

Starting 7th August 2019 the little acting community around Michael Chekhov Brasil will occupy a studio theatre in the old part of town with the objective of securing time/space for artists to create and nurture:

- a living connection between training, creative practice and professional life
- the collaborative practice of open minds
- friendship, support, constructive criticism and guidance
- our engagement with and relation to the world around us, the times we live in
- accessibility, inclusion and diversity
- a playful environment in which we "take our play very seriously"

Michael Chekhov's legacy of responding to hardship with light/movement is our constant inspiration as we discover what sort of contribution we can make to fight the current crisis without hardening. The initiative will be funded through active participants and outside supporters making a small monthly contribution within a range which suits them (around 20€/$ per month). There will be an easily accessible and extensive scholarship programme for anyone committed to taking part but for whom any monthly fee would be an obstacle. Our objective is to bring together artists from all areas of the city north and south.

With a broad active commitment the ongoing initiative will be self-sufficient; however we need "start-up" funds for the first two months (August/September), while the group forms and income is still insufficient to cover all initial costs such as rent, publicity, part-time staff for this phase, and print/launch material. 

We would be deeply grateful for anything you can contribute, however small, so please consider taking part in this fundraising  campaign to help this group of artists continue to bring the light of the M.Chekhov legacy into the cultural life of Rio de Janeiro.

THANK YOU

[for some more background/information please read on]


As many reading this will already know, the Michael Chekhov Brasil studio has for the past 2-3 years, along with every single cultural and educational entity in Brazil (great and small, public and private), been enduring the consequences of the country's exploding democratic/economic instability, and especially the recent dire political shift to the far right.

While we've managed to keep up a few ongoing programmes in other parts of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro has been particularly hard-hit by the country's political/economic/social crisis, and essentially the traditional model of announcing our programme of workshops and students signing up/attending, has proven no longer viable; mostly due to financial hardship in the acting and wider community, but also a reduced seeking of inner/artistic growth in generally depressed times.

BRINGING LIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS

Inspired as ever by Michael Chekhov's life experiences, we not only recognise the urgent need for artists in hard times to continue to regularly put movement and light into their bodies and the space, to train, to grow, radiate and feel part of a community, but also the need for this light of inspiration in the city around us. Following many intense months of seeking, listening and meditating, August/September 2019 will see the launch of a new working model which has at its core accessibility and inclusion for actors/artists from all parts of the city, united by a single objective to continue creating, learning and getting inspiration from Michael Chekhov's legacy.



THE SPACE

Every week on Wednesdays from 7th August (and some Saturdays) Michael Chekhov Brasil will occupy a studio space in the old part of town where we've worked often in the past and which has several different spaces, including a café, terrace garden and kitchen.

As well as workshop sessions (morning drop-in sessions for regulars/old-timers; a varied programme of short workshops open to all in the afternoons; and in the evening a closed group enrolled in a new two-month Michael Chekhov Training programme) there will be plenty of time/space to come together as artists in  various ways. As well as our work exploring the M.Chekhov legacy directly, the group will pool a broader knowledge of activities such as clown and voice work, the Alexander Technique, the philosophy of Goethe, Steiner etc. On one Saturday a month there will be an open day where all are welcome an d newcomers can easily get a first taste of the artistic vision.

HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE

This new programme will herald a new relationship between all those involved. Anyone considering themselves a stakeholder of Michael Chekhov Brasil's work in Rio, newcomers and regulars, will be invited to join in re-launching, contributing to and expanding this vital work.

We feel sure that this horizontal reach will extend beyond the boundaries of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil to our international friends interested in helping us make a difference and continue to bring the light of the M.Chekhov legacy into the cultural life of Rio de Janeiro.

MICHAEL CHEKHOV BRASIL

links
www.michaelchekhov.com.br

Facebook - www.facebook.com/michaelchekhovbrasil

Instagram - www.instagram.com/michaelchekhovbrasil