CAPITOL Cinema / Summer Theatre 2017-2018

Situated downtown Bucharest, the ensemble of historical monuments CAPITOL Cinema (LMI B-II- m-B- 18683) and CAPITOL Summer Theatre (LMI B-II- m-B-19202) occupies the plot of land between 36 Elisabeta Bd. and 13 C-tin Mille St.

In 2017-2018, Save or Cancel proposes a cultural heritage awareness and sensitization campaign, with an application on Capitol Cinema / Summer Theatre, revealing the economic, social and educational potential of all abandoned cultural spaces in Romania, and the involvement of artists and the local community in trans-sectorial, multi-disciplinary, collaborative projects. 4 conferences, 3 art installations, 4 exhibitions and 3 open calls for ideas will reactivate the collective memory, reintegrating the monuments in the public circuit through democratic reinterpretations of the cultural space, exploring the links between art, nature and the city.

Photography © Stefan Tuchila – CAPITOL Summer Theatre, 2017 / art intervention by Pisica Pătrată

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objectives

attracting new audiences for alternative cultural and heritage spaces.
audience awareness towards cultural heritage, revealing its potential for the independent cultural sector.
promoting contemporary local creations and supporting of young artists.
the promotion of creativity as a sustainable alternative to the institutionalized abandonment of heritage.

CAPITOL is a remarkable ruin that has the potential to socially, and economically reactivate the community.
The project proposes the sensitization of artists, cultural promoters and of the
community to identify innovative models of adaptive re-use of heritage, a democratic, sustainable exercise.
The acute need for independent spaces dedicated to culture is accentuated by the closure of a large number of cultural spaces, especially cinemas, theatres and art galleries, as a result of the law 282/2015.

HOW DO WE BUILD A COMMUNITY BEFORE A BUILDING?

the investigation, re-use and promotion of heritage participates in the urban regeneration and social and economic transformation of the community;
artistic investment in ecosystems;
collective processes, co-creation;
mobile and ephemeral: the use and integration of the facade in human-scale projects: urban signals;
pop-up, temporary initiatives, which can be presented itinerant.

2017

MAY
OPEN CALL I – design Shape the future Capitol
Heritage Reactivation: Challenges & Benefits conference @ CNDB – 27 May

JUNE
Cinema Capitol Installation @ Someș Delivery, Cluj, 17-18 June

AUGUST
Cinema CAPITOL at the Beach @ Plaja de carte, Vama Veche
OPEN CALL II artistic intervention – 14-28 August
Urban signal I – Pisica Pătrată artistic installation

SEPTEMBER
OPEN CALL III poem – 11-29 September
Urban signal II – performance #FLUID & OPEN CALL II winning artistic installation Capitol Continuum by Augmented Space Agency @ CAPITOL Summer Theatre, 15 September

OCTOBER
Paint-a-Monument children’s street art and screen printing workshop, with Serebe and Octav Avramescu @ MNAC, 12-13 October
conference / workshop @ Hub A, Casa OAR București

2018

APRIL
OPEN CALL IV – architecture + design

AUGUST
Capitol @ Amural installation: live performance FLUID; itinerant exhibition Capitol Talks

OCTOBER
J.Ace (UK) urban signal III – artistic installation
workshop / booklet launch, ed. 03

2019

15 FEBRUARY – 31 MARCH 2019 „Made in Bucharest” | group exhibition @ Madrid Design Festival 2019

The exhibition, organized as part of the Creative Quarter initiative by The Institute, with the support of ICR Madrid, showcases exceptional examples of Romanian creativity, among which one can find the CAPITOL awareness campaign.

17 – 26 MAY 2019
The CAPITOL booklet #03 | Graphic Design | Romanian Design Week 2019

18 – 26 MAY 2019
The CAPITOL project is showcased in the Made in Creative Quarter group exhibition

3 – 6 OCTOBER 2019 Eyes on Romania | group exhibition @ Graphic Days Torino

Capitol booklet #03, selected in the Eyes on Romania group exhibition presented by Romanian Design Week at Graphic Days Torino 2019.

Historic timeline

1912

The Rampa newspaper announces the opening of the Classic Cinema on Saturday, 26 May: “Two young artists, Mr. Nicolae Grigorescu from the National Theater and Mănescu, a distinguished sculptor, took the initiative to build a great theater-cinema.”

1916

Architect Nicolae Nenciulescu builds the Alhambra Summer Theater, now called Capitol.

1938

Architect Henrieta Delavrancea Gibory redesigns the façade and Cinema Capitol entrance apparatus in modernist style.

1948-1990

Nationalization: The Capitol Cinema and the Alhambra Summer Theater are owned by the state. In 1990, the ensemble closes and goes out of the public circuit.

2008-2020

The Independent Campaign for Reactivation, initiated by Save or Cancel, analyzes the phenomenon of cultural hub, proposing the rehabilitation of the heritage spaces.

CAPITOL Cinema / Summer Theatre Campaign

9 years
75 artists involved
69.000 euro attracted funds
12 partners

Co-financed by AFCN, PMB, ARCUB

Partners:

About Save or Cancel

Since 2008, Save or Cancel is a medium of communication and propagation of arts and culture, facilitating their role in the contemporary society. Self-initiated multidisciplinary programs by Save or Cancel support the development of the contemporary society by identifying opportunities for sustainable and adaptable (re) valorization of culture.