Projects 2023 - 2024
The 2023-2024 call for proposals of the Ingenia Cultural Fund, a participatory call focused on strengthening the country's cultural ecosystem, was held in October 2023. Among more than forty proposals, the evaluation committee selected the projects La invasión de 1989 by Infonimados, Los juicios by Enrique Castro Ríos, and Palenque Afrodisíaco by Afrodisíaco. The winners signed agreements in an official ceremony with the directors of the Ciudad del Saber Foundation, marking the beginning of the execution of their projects. In addition to financial support, they will receive logistical support, spaces, dissemination and support to carry out their initiatives in the coming months.
PROJECT
Palenque Afrodisíaco
Spaces for citizen meetings to promote conversations around social protest, through the songs of the Panamanian tamboritos, capturing in these the different problems and experiences of the current civil society; being the rhythms of the drums, the vehicle to communicate these realities, and record them in history.
The musical presentations of Palenque Afrodisíaco took place during specific dates between May 17 and 23, being the first of these an open mic with Shh Open Mic, in Cervecería Feroz, with the participation of singers, poets, composers, musicians and general public.
There was also a drum workshop at the House Museum of Ciudad del Saber, building 173; a Human Rights Market with groups and organizations committed to social causes such as climate action, gender, food sovereignty, among others, held at Galera 214 (Urban Market area), and ending that same day with a concert with the public that gathered in this space.
As the last presentation, Palenque Afrodisíaco closed the dialogue space Cultural Series, which included a discussion: “Afro influence in Panamanian music; from cumbia to reggae”. This closing presentation took place with a concert at La Casa de Ciudad del Saber.
General Production: Tatiana Ríos and Miroslava Herrera.
Production company: Folk Lab Studio by Billy Herron.
Musicians: Billy Herron, Eric Blanquicet, Ariel Valdés.
Guests: Omar Díaz and Kevin Fuchs.
Audios: Mario Meléndez and Dominick Moreno.
Technical assistance: Daniel García and Raquel Rosales.
Dancer: Demetrio Brathwaite.
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PROJECT
Los Juicios
In an uncomfortably close dystopia, twelve girls, boys and adolescents must summarily prosecute those who bequeathed to them the climate hecatomb they are trying to survive. What does Dawn King's play The Trials tell us about the girls and boys who will face the worst consequences of our inability to act? Through a theatrical exercise, The Trials will allow us to hear the most important - and most ignored - voices on the most pressing crisis of our time.
Having as a meeting point the 201 building located in the former U.S. Army Military Police station and jail in the old Fort Clayton, now converted into Ciudad del Saber, the project held two workshop sessions with students from Nuestra Señora de la Merced, Jacarandá and Academia Bilingüe Panamá para el Futuro schools, mixing girls and boys from 12 to 17 years old from public and private schools. These sessions provided a safe space for participants to share, as children and adolescents in diversity, their opinions, feelings, knowledge and proposals regarding the climate crisis.
After these sessions, the cast of the play was formed, comprising more than a dozen students from the Academia Bilingüe Panamá para el Futuro, who played the members of the jury of The Trials in two dramatized readings. The first reading took place in the Innova 109 Auditorium, and the second in Galera 214. During both, a space for conversation and reflection was opened between the young cast and the audience.
General production: Enrique Castro Ríos.
Direction and concept: Enrique Castro Ríos, with very close support from Linero Ledezma, Mariela Aragón Chiari and José Alejandro Rodríguez.
General assistance: Enrique Castro Ríos, Linero Ledezma and Mariela Aragón Chiari.
Volunteers: Bilmania Mosquera, Jeimi Guarin and Rosa García.
Cast: Victor Herrero, Clare Herriges, Mari Pascal, Linero Ledezma and Bilmania Mosquera as the accused in the workshops. In the readings: Enrique Castro Ríos, Linero Ledezma and Mariela Aragón Chiari as Defendants 1, 2 and 3, and Nairhe Torres, Wendell Alvin Garcia Santo, Sebastián Desruisseau, Grimaldo García, Alejandra Bonilla, Reichel Cedeño, Zugeilys Vega, Maya Gordón, Julia González, Luis Carlos Mera Broce, Héctor Delgado, Stefany Hernández, Sabbdi Martínez and Sidney Calderón as the jurors.
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PROJECT
Invasión de 1989
An animated short film that narrates the background, key moments, context, planning, execution and outcome of the events that led to the U.S. invasion of Panama on December 20, 1989, along with the long-term consequences, summarizing this period of Panamanian history through animated characters and a dynamic narrative.
The final product of this project was the premiere of the short film, along with a discussion with the producers and creators of Infonimados, Shirley Matos and Giselle Vasanch at the Ateneo Theater of Ciudad del Saber.
In addition, there was a matinee at the Ateneo with students from the Academia Bilingüe Panamá para el Futuro and Oxford College, which was followed by a question and answer session at the end of the activity. For the last screening in the cycle of staging, the project had a workshop on *storytelling* as a tool for social change, along with a final screening. This project gathered more than 500 people.
Creative direction, research and narration: Shirley Matos.
Creative direction, illustration and animation: Giselle Vasanch.
Animation: Miguel Abreu.
Text edition: Gisela Vargas.
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