A hundred neighbors participated this Sunday in a festival called “Let’s save Luisa” which was organized in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Balvanera, in order to raise funds to acquire andThe theater “Luisa Vehil” and to be able to give continuity to the social and cultural activities that take place in the place.
A dozen artists participated in the event, such as singers, dancers, writers and clowns, both from Balvanera and from other areas of greater Buenos Aires, with the initiative of supporting the actions of the residents who intend to acquire the Luisa Vehil theater, founded by the deceased actress Luisa D´Amico in 1988 and that was recognized by the Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires as a “site of cultural interest”.
The theater, located at 3133 Hipólito Yrigoyen Street, has two floors and plays and art workshops are held there, and it also functions as a neighborhood debate center.
The initiative was elaborated by the neighborhood group and distributed among the deputies so that they can accompany the creation of the “Cultural, Educational and Sports District”within the polygon delimited by Belgrano, Jujuy, Rivadavia avenues and Sánchez de Loria street.
In the place, many residents of the neighborhood contributed to support the initiative. Some handed out flyers, while others sold hot drinks and desserts.
Residents of Balvanera ask to create a pole to rescue a Buenos Aires neighborhood from insecurity and recover the street
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“The objective of the festival is to try to save the theater and for that we must raise $300,000“, said Juan José, one of the neighbors participating in the initiative.
The theater is for sale and the residents of the neighborhood have until October 7 of this year to present an offer to D’amico’s heirs, who own the property.
For its part, Ruben Hernandez Mirandapresident of the Luisa Vehil Theater, told Télam that the initiative began last March and they seek that each neighbor “can contribute a dollar to be able to raise the money we need to buy the property and thus be able to save the space.”
Hernandez highlighted the social role that plays the theater in the neighborhoodbecause “the community is provided with workshops and seminars for neighbors to meet, as well as a popular library open to the public”
‘This theater also bprovide a space for those artists who do not have a place where they can develop their artHernandez added.
The president of the theater remarked that, despite being a site of interest recognized by the Buenos Aires legislature, “it does not receive an economic subsidy from the Buenos Aires government” and added that the neighbors “do everything by heart.”
In this sense, Catalina, a member of the group of clowns “Arte en Lucha” pointed out that the neighborhood theater “is a way of maintaining the identity of the commune and we consider that each neighborhood and each commune has its own identity and has its own cultural elements.” .
“This theater also provides a space for those artists who do not have a place where they can develop their art.”Rubén Hernández Miranda, president of the Luisa Vehil Theater
During the event, some neighbors danced to the rhythm of Chichi Peralta or Vilma Palma, and others approached the ballot box to make their monetary contribution to the cause.
A few meters away, the clown “Clothet”, a member of the group Arte en Lucha, to the rhythm of Learn to Fly, by the singer Patricia Sosa, walked from one side to the other looking for neighbors and casual passers-by to come to the festival and contribute to the cause.
“The culture of the neighborhood theater means rescue. It gives us a chance to get ahead. I don’t know what it would be without the theater. This form of art is a way to feel accompanied “, remarked the clown Clothet, who continued with her arduous activity.
The event began at 3 pm, when the hosts explained the reason for the event and then read some texts by the American playwright Arthur Miller.
Later, artists from the neighborhood carried out their performances, and They paid tribute to different artists of Argentine popular culture such as Tita Merello, Carlos Gardel or Pappo.
Meanwhile, inside the theater, a group of artists was preparing to perform their musical presentations. Inside the condominium, Hernández Miranda told Télam that “everything we have is thanks to donations from neighbors” and stated that the owners “did not receive offers to acquire the building.”
“Luisa’s children (D’amico) were very patient with us and they want the theater to stay, that’s why they give us this opportunity and time to buy it,” he said.
Although the temperature dropped, there were more neighbors who came to the party. There, a salsa and bachata dancer, a Uruguayan theater group and a folklore group from Santiago del Estero caused a great uproar in the public.
“We are fighting so that the space is not lost,” Hernández Miranda concluded.
