Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal

EVENTS

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal organizes two important fundraising events that enjoy tremendous corporate support: The Nutcracker Fund for Children and the Annual Gala. This year, we are adding another fundraising event: the spring 2009 launch of a portfolio of previously unpublished Les Grands Ballets photographs by four leading artists. Including the proceeds from all these events, private funding makes up almost 23% of Les Grands Ballets’ budget.

THE NUTCRACKER FUND FOR CHILDREN The only cultural education program for underprivileged children in Montreal

The Nutcracker Fund for Children was created 11 years ago by Les Grands Ballets. It allows children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Greater Montreal to experience the magic of a performance of The Nutcracker. Each year, under the Supporting Montréal Schools Program, the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport selects participating schools at random.

Thanks to the generous contributions of companies and donors, to date more than 11,500 children have experienced this unique holiday season magic. Not only do the children attend the matinee performance, but they also participate in a cultural and educational workshop.

Visual arts workshops with artist Eugenia Reznick, where the children make miniature pieces of art	Aline Apostolska, a La Presse journalist, will conduct the literary workshops and have the children write about The Nutcracker story	Students learning dance steps at the choreography workshop with Les Grands Ballets dancers

 

 

« Thank you for introducing them to the arts world. It is sure to influence some of their futures. The children were thrilled with the brunch and the performance and we were treated like kings ! » Mimi Hébert, Grade 3 French immersion teacher at Nesbitt School, Montreal

SUPPORT the Nutcracker Fund for Children by attending the benefit brunch on December 14, 2008.

 

The Nutcracker Fund for Children is supported by companies and individuals attending the Nutcracker benefit brunch. This major fundraising event allows us to sponsor 1,800 children participating in the project and renew parts of the production of The Nutcracker. The matinee includes a festive family brunch followed by a performance of The Nutcracker in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts.

Once again this year, we are expecting some 450 guests from the business community to attend along with their families. There will be surprises, magicians and face painting for the children. Companies and individuals can contribute through sponsorships, by purchasing tickets and making donations. To support The Nutcracker Fund, select one of the following packages, complete the registration form (PDF format) and mail it to us.

THE NUTCRACKER BENEFIT BRUNCH :

a family event you won’t want to miss !

 

See the diaporama >>

 

Family Circle – $2,000

• 4 brunch and show tickets for the December 14 performance
• 4 tickets for children from a foundation of your choice to attend the matinee performance on December 16

Mouse Circle – $5,000

• 10 brunch and show tickets for the December 14 performance
• Sponsorship of 10 children to create a piece of art and attend the matinee
• 4 tickets for children from a foundation of your choice to attend the matinee
  on December 16
• Acknowledgement of your company in the official playbill in the section dedicated to the Nutcracker Fund supporters, and on 4 panels to be installed at Place des Arts

King of Candyland Circle – $10,000

• 20 brunch and show tickets for the December 14 performance, including a box for 6 people identified with your company’s name
• Sponsorship of an entire class to create a piece of art and attend the matinee
• 10 tickets for children from a foundation of your choice to attend the matinee on December 16.
• A gift of the original artwork produced by the children
• Acknowledgement of your company in the official playbill in the section dedicated to the Nutcracker Fund supporters, and on 4 panels to be installed at Place des Arts

Nutcracker Circle - $25,000

• 50 brunch and show tickets for the December 14 performance, including a box for 6 or 8 people identified with your company’s name
• The possibility of inviting 40 children from foundations or organizations of your choice to the matinee of December 16 and to a visual arts workshop given at the foundation
• Sponsorship of an entire class to create a piece of art and attend the matinee
• A gift of the original artwork produced by the children
• Acknowledgement of your company in the official playbill in the section dedicated to the Nutcracker Fund supporters, and on 4 panels to be installed at Place des Arts

Individual adult ticket: $300
Individual children’s ticket: $100

For more information on this project, contact the Development Department at 514 849-8681, extension 255.

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ANNUAL GALA

The annual gala is a major fundraising event that allows Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal to raise $500,000 annually, to help support our vision of offering spectators the opportunity to Be Moved. Differently. This extraordinary black-tie event brings together 500 representatives from the business community, the political and artistic elite and our main partners. Following cocktails, guests are served a gourmet meal in a magical setting, and then invited to dance to the music of a live orchestra. Past honorary presidents of the gala have included Henri-Paul Rousseau, former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Alban d’Amours, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Desjardins Group, and Michael L. Turcotte, Chairman of the Board of Hydro-Québec.

 

The following packages are available to corporations wishing to participate in this prestigious event. Corporations can also contribute to the event by making a corporate donation or by sponsoring the evening.

 

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE – $25,000

• 10 guests
• 2 of your guests may be invited to sit at the gala President’s table
• 2 Grands Ballets dancers will be seated at your table (optional)

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE – $12,000

• 8 guests
• 2 Grands Ballets dancers will be seated at your table

GOLDEN SLIPPER CIRCLE – $8,000

• 10 guests
• A pair of pointe shoes will be autographed by the dancer of your choice

DANCERS’ CIRCLE – $6,000

• 10 guests

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS – $600

Refer to the registration form (PDF format).

See the diaporama>>

 

For more information, contact the Development Department at 514 849-8681, extension 255.

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ART PORTFOLIO

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal immortalized by five contemporary photographers

This prestigious box set includes ten photographs numbered and signed by five acclaimed visual artists. Canadian photographers Raymonde April, Evergon and Pascal Grandmaison, American photographer and dancer John Hall and Spanish dance photographer Jesús Vallinas enthusiastically agreed to present the universe of Les Grands Ballets through their work.

Presented as a luxurious box set and limited to sixty copies, this prestigious portfolio will be presented to Montrealers at an exhibition in spring 2009. You can pre-order a copy until January 31, 2009, for the exclusive pre-launch price of $2,800.

Proceeds from the sale of this limited-edition portfolio will go to the Grands Ballets creation fund to support the creation of new pieces and add to the company’s repertoire.

 

For more information, contact the Development Department at 514 849-8681, extension 225.

 

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

 

Raymonde April

Raymonde April was born in Moncton, New Brunswick and grew up in Rivière-du-Loup, in the Lower St. Lawrence region. She lives and works in Montreal, where she teaches at Concordia University. Both an artist and a photographer, she has been renowned since the 1970s for her minimalist practice inspired by daily life, autobiography and fiction. In November 2003, she won the Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas, the highest distinction given by the Quebec government for visual arts.

 

Evergon

Evergon, who hails from Niagara Falls, Ontario, is an artist who transgresses traditional photography, allowing it to incorporate hand-made touches and staged fictions. His highly sensitive work investigates personal sexuality and social gender constructs. While he began to enjoy international recognition in the 1980s, the National Gallery of Canada exhibition of his work in 1988 cemented his reputation.

Pascal Grandmaison         

An active presence on the contemporary art scene since 1995, Pascal Grandmaison places images in situation in specific spaces through photography and video projections. Grandmaison’s art, most often based on the portrait genre, is distinctive for its use of such formal strategies as close-up, white background, and fragments and details. He had his first solo museum show at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal in 2006.

John Hall

John Hall, a native of New Hartford, Connecticut, joined the Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal in 2003 after dancing with the Miami City Ballet for five years. He was promoted to soloist this season and divides his time between dance and photography. “My camera helps me understand movement, and movement is a source of inspiration for my photos”, he explains.

 

Jesús Vallinas

Jesús Vallinas studied fine arts and has also worked as a dancer. He is a dance photographer, designer and illustrator, and has had the privilege of photographing such leading figures as Ana Laguna, Nacho Duato, Alicia Alonso and Maya Plitsetskaya. His photos appear in such dance magazines as Por La Danza, Ballet 2000 and Dance Magazine and many Spanish newspapers.

 

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