Prague-New York I am pleased to announce a new project initiated by Czech Center NY. I joined the team in January 2015 and have spent the year getting to know the Czech Center NY community and what they look forward to in our program every week. We had an extremely successful year with over 150 events encompassing the visual and performing arts, film, lecture series, concerts and forums. In the travel guide, 111 Places in New York That You Must Not Miss it listed the Bohemian National Hall as: a little-known treasure, a postmodern surprise, encouraging dynamic dialogue between American and Czech communities that has become a vibrant cultural venue for new generations of New Yorkers. We believe our extensive program in 2016 is diverse, engaging and inspiring. Our flagship project in 2016 is entitled Prague-New York and it epitomizes our mission towards creating enduring transatlantic collaborations. Please find more information on this project detailed below. We are thrilled that Petr Gandalovič, Czech Ambassador to the United States and Andrew Schapiro, United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic have both endorsed this bridge building endeavor. We would like to offer you an opportunity to be part of the creation of this project. There are three tiers of sponsorship options available and they are included in this document. Your tax-deductible donation would ensure that Prague-New York reaches its full potential and that you would become an integral part of developing meaningful collaboration between the United States of America and the Czech Republic through the powerful medium of the arts. Barbara Karpetová Director Czech Center New York
Prague-New York Petr Gandalovič Andrew Schapiro Czech Ambassador to the United States United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic
Our Mission: Czech Center New York is dedicated to strengthening the cultural ties between the Czech Republic and the United States. It presents events that feed into and complement the multi-cultural fabric of New York City providing material for a continuous dialogue between two distinct yet historically connected and kindred nations. It brings in not only artists but also academics to introduce Czech culture to an American audience in the hope that lasting partnerships will be formed and lead to continued cultural, educational and academic exchanges. Highlights of 2015: Chamber Opera Toufar by Czech National Theatre Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) 50th anniversary concert Ostravská Banda & S.E.M. Ensemble concert Boys Who Like to Play With Dolls by alt@rt dance performance Shoah in Us a project commemorating the victims of the Holocaust The Good and the True play by the National Yiddish Theatre-Folksbiene Summer Ciné-Concerts on the Rooftop terrace CCNY Partners list: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, DC U.S. Embassy in Prague Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the UN Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles European Union National Institutes for Culture Visegrad Fund Vaclav Havel Library Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association Dvořák American Heritage Association Vaclav Havel Library Foundation Czech Tourism Czech Invest New York University Columbia University Georgetown University Charles University in Prague Prague Art Academies: AVU, UMPRUM, DAMU, FAMU, HAMU Mannes College The New School for Music Fulbright Commission Museum of the Moving Image New York Philharmonic Festival Spectaculare Palác Akropolis Mystery Ship Brothers Forman Czech Television Czech Radio
Prague-New York Produced by: Czech Center NY Co-produced by: Art Frame Akropolis Palace s.r.o. Project outline Czech Center NY is proud to announce the creation of 4 original performance world premieres where diverse artistic disciplines meet in the narrow interstitial space between cultures and countries to create unique resonance. 4 artists from Prague x 4 artists from New York = 4 world premieres in 2 countries, 4 cities. One Czech artist and one American artist, from different sides of the ocean, each of them from a different cultural context, each of them from a different social class, from different ethnicities and from different traditions. They are meeting on one stage. They will workshop original performance duets in the middle of a circle face to face. They will cross the circumference, bridge a divide? We come together in the circle of the boma, in the circle around the fire and at round tables of equality. The circle the symbol of the Sun, the Moon, dots in the night skies as planets, stars these have no beginning or end and no divisions. It is the symbol of enclosure, completion and powerful cycles of continual growth and movement. They are meeting in New York. They will experiment and work on a common performance. How will this meeting change them? What will they bring back to their country? Miřenka Čechová Program Director Czech Center New York
Prague-New York The Artists: First Effect TENDAYI KUUMBA LENKA DUSILOVÁ Tendayi Kuumba is a Brooklyn based jazz singer, dancer and actress. She is currently a touring company member of Urban Bush Women, a dancer with the Marjani Forte Dance Company and resident jazz vocalist at the Williamsburg Music Center with the Gerry Eastman Quartet. Lenka Dusilová is a five time Angel award winning singer-songwriter. Her unique, original musical language is created by a fusion of electro acoustic sounds with elements of rock and pop. Together with flawless vocal expression she is an icon of brave and innovative performance. Second Photo: Jonas Hidalgo Effect JEN SHYU PETR ZUSKA Jen Shyu is an experimental jazz vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, producer, and Fulbright scholar. Shyu currently leads her band Jade Tongue and is touring her solo opera called Solo Rites: Seven Breaths. Ms. Shyu is among New York s most invigorating vocal presences. And perhaps the most enigmatic. (Wall Street Journal) Petr Zuska is the Artistic Director of the Czech National Ballet, eminent choreographer and European-format soloist. He has created choreographies for more than 50 productions for both foreign and Czech companies and is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Thalia Prize, The Prix Dom Perignon and the Choreographer of the Year.
Prague-New York The Artists: Third Photo: Jonas Hidalgo Effect HELGA DAVIS JIŘÍ BARTOVANEC Helga Davis is an actress, singer and radio host. She has worked extensively with Robert Wilson, touring as the lead performer in the international tour of Einstein on the Beach. Robert Wilson describes her as a united whole, with spellbinding inner power and strength. Jiří Bartovanec is a dancer and choreographer. He is a permanent member and rehearsal director of the Sasha Waltz Dance Company. Jiří has embarked on a solo career in both disciplines on several prestigious international projects including the choreography of The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky at the Duncan Center Conservatory. Fourth Photo: Jonas Hidalgo Effect TAMI STRONACH TOMÁŠ DVOŘÁK ( 78) AKA FLOEX Tami Stronach is a dancer, actress and choreographer. She is heralded as a choreographic doctor of the human condition (Dance Insider) and is known for creating wickedly observant (New York Times) dances about the search for connection through her company, Tami Stronach Dance (TSD). Tomáš Dvořák is a clarinetist, composer, producer and multimedia artist. His music is characterized by unique exploration of the electro - acoustic field and the deep atmospheric mood of his tracks. Tomáš is also the creator of several unique interactive multimedia installations and performances.
Sponsorship package Your generous support of this project entitles you to the following benefits: Patron ($50,000 and upwards) VIP tickets to Prague-New York premiere of your choice and After Party with the artists Dinner with American actress, from the project, Tami Stronach (Empress from the film: The Neverending Story) VIP invite for the reception on the occasion of Czech National Day organized by Czech Permanent Mission to the UN and Consulate General in New York on October 28, 2016 at the Bohemian National Hall Invitation to the award ceremony Gratias Agit hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Cernin Palace in Prague awarding those who promote the good name of the Czech Republic abroad Invitation to any of the popular, NY hit of the season, Ciné-Concerts on the roof terrace of the Bohemian National Hall Sightseeing backstage tour of one of the theaters in Prague or New York where the performance will take place guided by Czech Center NY program director, Miřenka Čechová Guided tour of the Bohemian Beer Garden in Astoria Queens, one of the most famous watering holes which survived the American Prohibition Czech Center NY will co-operate with you to include your institution/company s activities into one of our programs DVD of the live performances of the Prague-New York productions Logo of your institution/company will be used in all of our promotional materials and mentioned in all of our press releases We will promote your institution/company/name on our website, social media platforms and in our monthly programs Your banner, signage or other collateral will be displayed at the shows
Partner ($25,000 $50,000) VIP tickets for one of the premieres and After Party with the artists Invitation to the award ceremony Gratias Agit hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Cernin Palace in Prague awarding those who promote the good name of the Czech Republic abroad Invitation to any of the popular, NY hit of the season, Ciné-Concerts on the roof terrace of the Bohemian National Hall Sightseeing backstage tour of one of the theaters in Prague or New York where the performance will take place guided by Czech Center NY program director, Miřenka Čechová Czech Center NY will co-operate with you to include your institution/company s activities into one of our programs DVD of the live performances of the Prague-New York productions Logo of your institution/company will be used in all of our promotional materials and mentioned in all of our press releases We will promote your institution/company/name on our website, social media platforms and in our monthly programs Your banner, signage or other collateral will be displayed at the shows Friend ($10,000 -$25,000) VIP tickets for one of the premieres and After Party with the artists Invitation for the Czech Centers Gala Dinner in Prague in July 2016 Invitation to any of the popular, NY hit of the season, Ciné-Concerts on the roof terrace of the Bohemian National Hall Czech Center NY will co-operate with you to include your institution/company s activities into one of our programs DVD of the live performances of the Prague-New York productions Logo of your institution/company will be used in all of our promotional materials and mentioned in all of our press releases We will promote your institution/company/name on our website, social media platforms and in our monthly programs
Contribution details: Your tax-deductible donation can be made to Czech Center New York (CCNY) partner organization: Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association (BBLA) Memo reference: Czech Center New York Project BBLA details: Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association 321 East 73rd street, 3rd floor New York, NY 10021 www.bohemianbenevolent.org BBLA is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3). Federal Tax ID #: 13-0508050. Current partners of the project to date: Czech Center NY with assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Palác Akropolis with assistance from the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic Embassy of the Czech Republic to the United States in Washington, DC Embassy of the United States to the Czech Republic in Prague Contact details: Barbara Karpetová, Ph.D. Director Czech Center New York www.czechcenter.com E: karpetova@czechcenter.com T:+1 646 422 3399 Czech Center NY Team: Barbara Karpetová, Ph.D. Director Jan Žahour Assistant Director Miřenka Čechová, Ph.D. Program Director Jacquelyn de Villiers PR & Communication Specialist