Community Theatre in El Salvador
Donation protected
Friends of FundArte is a Canadian-based initiative to raise funds for the Salvadoran community arts organization FundArte Cojutepeque (Foundation of the Arts Cojutepeque).
I encountered FundArte in 2014 while living in Cojutepeque, El Salvador with my Salvadoran husband. El Salvador is known internationally for gangs, violence and migration, but there is so much more to the country than that. The vast majority of Salvadorans are honest and hardworking. Anyone who visits the country also sees the incredible warmth and hospitality of it's citizens.
Some of my best memories of El Salvador are from volunteering at this community theatre. After returning to Vancouver, I wanted to do something to give back so I started Friends of FundArte to explore fundraising possibilities outside of El Salvador. All donations go directly to FundArte Cojutepeque. Friends of FundArte has zero administrative costs.
I hope you will help out with any donation big or small. It is money well invested!
FundArte Cojutepeque was started by a dedicated group of young Salvadorans in the summer of 2013 to provide a vibrant, multifaceted arts space, educational opportunities for youth and children and a safe place for the community to gather.
El Solar Community Theatre is the centre of FundArte’s activity. Past events at El Solar have included dance, music, theatre, circus, poetry, painting and drawing exhibitions, films and cultural/historical discussions. What they have accomplished in a few years on a shoestring budget is truly amazing, from humble beginnings in a vacant lot destroyed by a massive 2001 earthquake to an oasis of arts and culture.
FundArte brings artists from around El Salvador to Cojutepeque to perform in the bi-weekly events at El Solar. They also tap into the rich history and art of their own city by creating a stage for local performers, historians and writers.
FundArte creates dialogue within the community. Each event ends with an informal dialogue between the performers and the audience, and they do outreach in the schools by showing documentaries to spark discussion or bringing performers to interact with students.
A short list of their annual events includes a music festival, a circus in the central park of Cojutepeque and a solstice festival of the arts that includes 6 days of events in El Solar as well as performances at schools, parks, markets and other spaces around the city.
FundArte is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. They have used their incredible passion and community organizing skills to build partnerships with local artists, schools and businesses wherever possible. However, economic conditions and funding for the arts is extremely limited in El Salvador. This campaign will specifically pay for setting up an office and basic AV equipment for the theatre. For more than 3 years they have used borrowed equipment. Setting up this part of the organization is another step towards long-term sustainability. Any money raised above the campaign amount will go to running and making any necessary repairs to the community theatre space.
The video is narrated in Spanish only (sorry no subtitles yet). It shows El Solar being built and some of the events held there.
Check out FundArte on Facebook
And Youtube
I encountered FundArte in 2014 while living in Cojutepeque, El Salvador with my Salvadoran husband. El Salvador is known internationally for gangs, violence and migration, but there is so much more to the country than that. The vast majority of Salvadorans are honest and hardworking. Anyone who visits the country also sees the incredible warmth and hospitality of it's citizens.
Some of my best memories of El Salvador are from volunteering at this community theatre. After returning to Vancouver, I wanted to do something to give back so I started Friends of FundArte to explore fundraising possibilities outside of El Salvador. All donations go directly to FundArte Cojutepeque. Friends of FundArte has zero administrative costs.
I hope you will help out with any donation big or small. It is money well invested!
FundArte Cojutepeque was started by a dedicated group of young Salvadorans in the summer of 2013 to provide a vibrant, multifaceted arts space, educational opportunities for youth and children and a safe place for the community to gather.
El Solar Community Theatre is the centre of FundArte’s activity. Past events at El Solar have included dance, music, theatre, circus, poetry, painting and drawing exhibitions, films and cultural/historical discussions. What they have accomplished in a few years on a shoestring budget is truly amazing, from humble beginnings in a vacant lot destroyed by a massive 2001 earthquake to an oasis of arts and culture.
FundArte brings artists from around El Salvador to Cojutepeque to perform in the bi-weekly events at El Solar. They also tap into the rich history and art of their own city by creating a stage for local performers, historians and writers.
FundArte creates dialogue within the community. Each event ends with an informal dialogue between the performers and the audience, and they do outreach in the schools by showing documentaries to spark discussion or bringing performers to interact with students.
A short list of their annual events includes a music festival, a circus in the central park of Cojutepeque and a solstice festival of the arts that includes 6 days of events in El Solar as well as performances at schools, parks, markets and other spaces around the city.
FundArte is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization. They have used their incredible passion and community organizing skills to build partnerships with local artists, schools and businesses wherever possible. However, economic conditions and funding for the arts is extremely limited in El Salvador. This campaign will specifically pay for setting up an office and basic AV equipment for the theatre. For more than 3 years they have used borrowed equipment. Setting up this part of the organization is another step towards long-term sustainability. Any money raised above the campaign amount will go to running and making any necessary repairs to the community theatre space.
The video is narrated in Spanish only (sorry no subtitles yet). It shows El Solar being built and some of the events held there.
Check out FundArte on Facebook
And Youtube
Organizer
Anna Sedo
Organizer
Vancouver, BC
