GUATEMALA PERFORMING ARTS INITIATIVE (PAI) PROPOSAL -

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001250 SIPDIS STATE FOR ECA/PE/C/CU (LPROCTOR CBARROSSE) WHA/PDA (MLEE) EMBASSIES FOR PAO/CAO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OEXC KPAO SCUL SUBJECT: GUATEMALA PERFORMING ARTS INITIATIVE (PAI) PROPOSAL - TROMBONIST LUIS BONILLA AND ENSEMBLE TO PLAY TENTH ANNUAL BINATIONAL CENTER JAZZ FESTIVAL, FEBRUARY/MARCH 2010 REF: STATE 75426 ¶1. SUMMARY: Post proposes to program critically-acclaimed, U.S. Spanish-speaking jazz artist Luis Bonilla and ensemble to perform in the U.S.-Guatemala Binational Center's (Instituto Guatemalteco Americano, IGA) Tenth Annual International Jazz Festival, and Post seeks PAI funding for same. Guatemala will bring Bonilla's quintet for performances and outreach activities from February 28 to March 7, 2010. Post will work with IGA and Bonilla to reach out to new audiences and marginalized youth in three distinct regions of Guatemala. ECA's Robert Keith identified Bonilla as a musician with ample artistic merit for the IGA Jazz Festival; Bonilla has traveled as a Cultural Envoy to Honduras and Costa Rica and is a member of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra. Post had wished to propose a regional itinerary with another post; however, this was not possible due to Bonilla's already tight performance agenda with Jazz at Lincoln Center, vis-a-vis the timing of the Jazz Festival. However, Post feels that a single-country program in Guatemala ????- a country of 12 million including a large percentage of indigenous and youth - will still effectively meet PAI and Post's Outreach goals. END SUMMARY. ¶2. PERFORMERS: The ensemble features Bonilla on trombone; Ivan Renta on saxophone; Arturo O'Farrill on piano; Andy McKee on string base; and Vince Cherico on drums. Most of the ensemble members speak Spanish, which will greatly enhance outreach activities in Guatemala - especially in rural areas. All performers are U.S. citizens. ¶3. EVIDENCE OF ARTISTIC QUALITY: ECA's Robert Keith identified Bonilla for Post as a musician with ample artistic merit for the IGA Jazz Festival. Bonilla has traveled as a Cultural Envoy to Honduras and Costa Rica and is a member of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra. The California-Costa Rican trombonist, composer and arranger is a prominent force in the New York and international Jazz and Latin scenes. He received a Bachelor's degree in music from Cal State Los Angeles and a Master's degree in Jazz Performance and Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. He is a faculty member at Temple University and at the Manhattan School of Music. Bonilla has been sideman to such musical greats as McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard, Astrud Gilberto, Willie Colon and Toshiko Akiyoshi. His studio sessions include Billy Childs, Gerry Mulligan, Tony Bennett, Marc Anthony, La India, Paquito d'Rivera and Mary J. Blige. Bonilla is also a member of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Mingus Big Band. He has recorded four CDs to glowing reviews. More information, performance videos of the quintet, and critical reviews can be found at: www.trombonilla.com. Recordings can also be heard at: www.amazon.com by selecting "Luis Bonilla" under the Music category. ¶4. PROPOSED SCHEDULE: Post proposes an eight-day Guatemalan tour from Sunday, February 28 to Sunday, March 7. February 28 and March 7 are travel days; Monday, March 1 to Saturday, March 6 are program days. Events will take place in three distinct regions of Guatemala, in partnership with IGA and where IGA has its locations: Guatemala City, the Capital; Quetzaltenango (nicknamed "Xela"),the second largest city, widely regarded as Guatemala's indigenous capital; and the third largest city Coban, an indigenous cultural center with high levels of poverty, located in the Alta Verapaz region. IGA inaugurated its newest satellite location in Coban in October 2009. The week-long program in Guatemala will include: -- artistic development workshops which will concentrate on teaching jazz music traditions and instrument skills to youth groups from traditionally marginalized youth populations; workshops will take place in: Guatemala City, Xela, and Coban. -- three public performances: one at IGA in Guatemala City, one at the Municipal Theater in Xela, and one at the Landivar University Auditorium (tentative location) in Coban. -- a jazz presentation to underprivileged youth in Xela. -- a master class in Guatemala City focused on the "business" of being a musician, a topic which is sure to spark interest of musicians - both jazz musicians and other professional musicians - here (see proposed program, below). -- two informal jam sessions, one in Guatemala City and one in Xela. -- media interviews, and social networking opportunities as appropriate. Mr. Bonilla explains that his goal as a Costa Rican-American is to see Central America prosper economically and musically, and he is willing to travel on behalf of the U.S. Department of State to promote cultural exchanges in jazz. Target audiences will include marginalized and at-risk youth, high school and university students, indigenous youth, jazz artists, and the general public. Guatemala proposes the following itinerary: Sunday, February 28: Travel and rest day Afternoon: Arrivals to Guatemala City. Evening: Equipment check. RON: Hotel Mercure, Guatemala City Monday, March 1: 8:00 a.m.: Travel to Xela (4 hours). 12 noon: Lunch and rest. 2:00-3:30 p.m.: Jazz presentation for marginalized youth at Casa Noj Cultural Center, organized by Miguel Angel Asturias Academy (MAA; a school for underprivileged children who could not otherwise afford to go to school) and the Instituto Guatemalteco Americano - Xela (IGA Xela). Will include State Department-sponsored Access English Language program students as feasible, with IGA's cooperation. 4:00-5:30 p.m.: Radio, TV and print media interviews, Xela. TV Channel "Region M????s" on Cable DX, Radio Prism FM jazz station, and newspaper El Quetzalteco. TV and radio will be taped. Print interview can also be done ahead of time with material sent in advance to meet print deadline. 7:00 p.m.: Informal jam session with Xela jazz musicians, coordinated by IGA and the Quetzaltenango (Xela) Cultural Association. Location TBD. RON: Hotel Bonifaz, Quetzaltenango (Xela) Tuesday, March 2: 10:00 a.m.-12 noon: Jazz workshop with music students from "Aulas Musicales" (Musical Classrooms),a GOG Education Ministry initiative to provide music instruction for rural students outside the Capital, organized in cooperation with the Education Ministry, and with students from the Jesus Castillo Music School, a music school for low-income youth. Location: Casa Noj Cultural Center. Press invited. Noon: Lunch and rest. 2:30 p.m.: Live radio interview - Radio Estereo 100. 3:00 p.m.: Sound check. 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.: CONCERT at Municipal Theater, Xela; as part of IGA's Tenth Annual International Jazz Festival; co-sponsored by IGA. Post will make a special invitation to area San Carlos University students, workshop participants, and to English Language Access Program students. RON: Hotel Bonifaz, Quetzaltenango (Xela) Wednesday, March 3: 8:00 a.m.: Travel to Guatemala City (4 hours). 12 noon: Lunch and hotel check-in. 2:00-3:30 p.m.: Jazz workshop with students at the Escuela Municipal de Musica (Municipal School of Music; a music school in the Capital for low-income youth who cannot afford opportunities such as the National Conservatory or private classes). Press invited. 4:00-5:00 p.m.: Newspaper and radio (taped) interviews, Guatemala. Print interview can also be done ahead of time with material sent in advance to meet print deadline for El Periodico's weekly magazine Revista "D". Will include Jorge Sierra's music radio program. 8:00 p.m.: Informal jam session with local jazz musicians and any others available from countries participating in the International Jazz Festival. Location: TrovaJazz Club. RON: Hotel Mercure, Guatemala City. Thursday, March 4: 7:00 am: Morning TV show, "Mundo por la Manana," Channel 13. Mid-morning: Rest time. 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.: Master Class - "Success in Today's Market": Entrepreneurship in music, creating an expanding effect on local as well as the global jazz culture, the music business itself and other facets of the musician's life. This is one of Bonilla's pre-defined master classes. 3:30 p.m.: Sound check. 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.: CONCERT: IGA Dick Smith Theater, Guatemala City, as part of Tenth International Jazz Festival, co-sponsored by IGA. RON: Hotel Mercure, Guatemala City. Friday, March 5: 8:00 a.m.: Travel to Coban (4 hours). 12 noon: Lunch, hotel check-in, and rest. 2:00 p.m.: Radio and TV interviews, taped, Coban. Cable TV evening news program with Amilcar Nuila, airs 6-7pm; Radio La Buena. 3:00 p.m.: Sound check. 7:00 p.m.-8:30 pm: CONCERT at Landivar University Auditorium (tentative),as part of IGA Tenth Annual International Jazz Festival, co-sponsored by the newly-opened IGA Coban. Will make special invitation to 150 youth from Access English Language Program, in cooperation with IGA Coban. RON: Hotel Casa Duranta, Coban Saturday, March 6 9:00-10:30 a.m.: Jazz workshop with youth from Aulas Musicales Coban (Musical Classrooms, see above); organized by Education Ministry. 12 noon: Hotel check-out and travel to Guatemala City (4 hours). Evening: Free. RON: Hotel Mercure, Guatemala City. Sunday, March 7: Travel day Morning: Depart Guatemala to U.S. END OF PROPOSED SCHEDULE. ¶5. MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN: Post will send press kits (including CDs as available) to traditional print, radio and TV media in advance of the artists' arrival, and will work to schedule media interviews as outlined above. Advance announcements, including video (with the artists' permission) will be posted on Post's website, Post's Facebook page, and Post's Virtual Presence Post (VPP) Xela. Post will also work with Bonilla to develop a plan for use of social media, perhaps by connecting musicians here with Bonilla's classroom students in New York, via web chat or Facebook, to the extent we can match age groups and talent levels, and/or by "blogging" (so-to-speak) his experiences and observations while here on Post's Facebook page. ¶6. U.S. AND POST-SPECIFIC GOALS: This program is in support of Mission and State Department Goal of "Enhancing Mutual Understanding" through engagement of the general public and of marginalized youth via the cultural and artistic language of jazz, which has its roots as a unique American art form. Post has a continuing close relationship with our Binational Center (IGA) and an ongoing commitment to support it. U.S. participation in the Tenth Annual International Jazz Festival is paramount both as a means of cultural support to IGA and for the U.S., the home of jazz, to figure prominently among other countries represented in the festival. To date, France, Italy, Brazil, and Mexico are confirmed to send musicians; confirmation is pending from Spain and Germany (which participated last year),Great Britain, Sweden, Chile, Argentina and Colombia. Guatemala will, of course, be represented. ¶7. POST-SPECIFIC OUTREACH GOALS: Post established an "Office of Outreach" within PAS by obtaining an FSO Outreach Coordinator position and hiring an LES native-Mayan K'iche' Outreach Assistant. Their mission is to expand outreach efforts beyond Guatemala City to target audiences including women, indigenous peoples and youth. Circulating this jazz program to Xela and Coban specifically fulfills Post's outreach goals. Mission Outreach staff will accompany the musicians to all activities; they will continue to promote mutual understanding and will continue to build valuable contacts for the Mission outside the Capital. ¶8. CO-SPONSORS: Post will work with established partners, such as: our bi-national center, the Guatemalan-American Institute (IGA) in all three locations - Guatemala City, Xela and Coban; schools and universities such as the Miguel Angel Asturias Academy, Landivar University, and the San Carlos University; non-governmental organizations such as Casa Noj, individual jazz musicians, and others. Post also expects to bring in government organizations that work with underprivileged, at-risk-youth such as the Ministry of Education and artistic co-sponsors such as the Ministry of Culture. Guatemala's Tourism Ministry INGUAT has offered to provide security (in-kind) for musicians while travelling between cities. IGA, as titular sponsor of the Tenth Annual International Jazz Festival, will provide the bulk of administrative and programmatic support in organizing the festival. As described in the budget below, specific cost-sharing with the U.S. includes paying a portion of hotels, covering venue costs, and in-kind contributions of overall festival publicity, to include the U.S. performers. ¶9. BUDGET: The complete proposed line-item budget follows. (Note: Post can provide the proposed budget in a spreadsheet by email as well.) -------------- ECA/PAI: -- International airfare under Fly America rules: Performer #1 Bonilla, Portland-Guatemala-NYC, $908; Performer #2, Raleigh-Guatemala-NYC, $908; Performers #3-5, NYC-Guatemala-NYC, $740 each, total estimated airfare - $4036. -- Airline excess baggage charges, $150 for each trombone, sax, and cymbals, total - $450. -- Airport exit fees (security taxes),$3 per performer, total - $15. -- Medical Insurance for five performers at $30, $40, $40, $65, $65 each varying with age, total - $240. -- Performance fees for the Bonilla Quintet: $200 per day honorarium for five performers for eight days (including travel days),total - $8000. -- Leased vehicle with driver for in-country travel (Embassy Motor Pool does not have adequate staff to spare nor large enough van to transport people and equipment for proposed three-city program): seven days excluding 2/28 initial travel day, total - $1900 -- Post-generated, targeted publicity specifically for Bonilla Quintet and their performances, in addition to IGA's general Jazz Festival publicity, (e.g. Bonilla Quintet announcement posters, flyers, printed programs, press kits, etc.),total - $700. TOTAL ECA: $15,341 -------------- EMBASSY GUATEMALA: -- M&IE for five performers for two travel days, 2/28 and 3/7, at 75 percent of $90 Guatemala City rate, total - $675 -- M&IE for three full days for five performers at Guatemala City rate $90 per day, total - $1350 -- M&IE for three full days for five performers at Guatemala "other" rate of $76 per day, total - $1140 -- M&IE for three Embassy employees (Outreach Coordinator, Outreach Assistant, Electronic Media and AV Specialist) accompanying performers to Xela, two travel days (75 percent) and one full day at $76 "other" rate, total - $570 -- M&IE for three Embassy employees (Outreach Coordinator, Outreach Assistant, Electronic Media and AV Specialist) accompanying performers to Coban, two travel days, 75 percent of $76 "other" rate, total - $342 -- Three-fourths of hotel (cost-shared with IGA, see below) for five performers for four nights in Guatemala City at $98 per night, including taxes, total - $1470 -- Hotel for five performers for two nights in Xela, including taxes, total - $656 -- Hotel for five performers for one night in Coban, including taxes, total - $191 -- Hotel for three accompanying Embassy employees, Xela, two nights, excluding IVA tax, total - $356 -- Hotel for three accompanying Embassy employees, Coban, one night, excluding IVA tax, total - $216 -- Musical instrument and sound equipment rental for six program days, (drum set, string base, keyboard, two amps, monitor, cables, microphones, etc., with pick-up and drop off extended over weekends) estimate - $3000. -- Motor Pool overtime for airport pick-up for three separate arrivals and one drop-off on Sundays, $5 per hour for four hours, total - $20 -- Representational expenses for sodas and/or bottled water at various workshops, presentations and concerts, estimate - $500 TOTAL EMBASSY GUATEMALA: $10,485 -------------- - IGA BINATIONAL CENTER CO-SPONSOR COST-SHARING: -- Venue rentals: IGA Guatemala, Dick Smith Theater and workshop space (in-kind, $600); Municipal Theater and workshop space, Xela, $600; Landivar University Theater, Coban, $200: Total rental of workshop space and theatres for concerts - $1400. -- Cost-sharing for hotels: one-fourth of Guatemala City hotel cost for musicians, as calculated above, total - $490. -- Overall jazz festival publicity, in-kind, estimate - $3000. TOTAL IGA: $4,890 -------------- ADDITIONAL GOG COST-SHARING: -- In-kind contribution for INGUAT (Tourism Ministry) security officers to accompany musicians on travel between the Capital and interior, arranged by IGA: dollar amount yet undetermined. -- Coordination with Education Ministry's "Aulas Musicales" (Musical Classrooms) and potential site for those workshops, especially in Coban: dollar amount yet undetermined. TOTAL GOG: $TBD END OF PROPOSED BUDGET. ¶10. PLANNED FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: Photos, video (with artists' permission),articles, links to news articles, etc. will be featured on Post's website and on Post's Virtual Presence Post (VPP) Xela, as well as on the Embassy's Facebook page. Tweets will be sent when these items are posted to alert our followers on Twitter. With support from Bonilla in developing a social media plan, a web chat may be organized as follow-up (see social media plan above). ¶11. REGIONAL PLANNING: Post wanted to propose a regional itinerary with another post; however, this was not possible due to Bonilla's already tight performance agenda with Jazz at Lincoln Center, vis-a-vis the timing of the Jazz Festival. Post felt that the opportunity to bring Spanish-speaking performers was critical to the success of the program - especially given that even Spanish is a second-language for many native Mayan speakers in our outreach audience. Therefore, Bonilla was a great choice for Post. Notwithstanding, Post feels that a one-country program in Guatemala ????- a country of 12 million including a large percentage of indigenous and youth - will still effectively meet PAI and Post's Outreach goals. MCFARLAND