Shumka Raises Over $60,000 for Canada-Ukraine Foundation Aid for Artists
Ukrainian Shumka Dancers are proud to announce over $60,000 will be donated to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation Aid for Artists raised through various events, fundraising initiatives, and Shumka on Tour.
Since the war on Ukraine began almost one year ago, preserving and advancing Ukrainian culture is important now, more than ever. In response, throughout 2022 we’ve led several fundraising initiatives to raise funds for the Canada-Ukraine Foundation Aid for Artists.
Fundraising initiatives included opportunities for audience members to donate during Shumka School of Dance concerts; the donation of concession and bar proceeds from April’s Shumka on Tour performance in Edmonton, in partnership with the Alberta Jubilee Auditoria Society; a special screening of Dancing on Eggshells in partnership with Metro Cinema; proceeds from Shumka Emerge at Camrose’s Lougheed Centre; and over $36,000 from Shumka on Tour through audience donations, the sale of special merchandise and a limited-edition “Shumka Blonde” label with Sea Change Brewing.
The designated Aid for Artists fund of the Canada Ukraine Foundation provides an outlet for the community at large to support the arts and artists of Ukraine who keep the country forward-facing, courageous and united. “Art is the soul of our people; our strength and identity. Preserving and advancing Ukrainian culture is now more important than ever,” noted Shumka Executive Director and Aid for Artists Committee Chair, Darka Tarnawsky.
The CUF Aid for Artists of Ukraine Committee aims to work with Ukrainian visual and performing artists, arts institutions, NGOs, and various levels of government culture ministries to build capability and capacity within the Ukrainian arts community in Ukraine. Through CUF supported and sponsored programs and projects, we will promote the arts by enabling artists, arts workers, arts organizations, arts institutions and artist advocates to improve the preservation, promotion and development of Ukrainian arts in the communities they serve. The current focus of the Committee is on raising funds and determining criteria for dissemination of such.
We encourage Canadians to continue to donate and support in this time of need. For more information about the Canada-Ukraine Foundation visit cufoundation.ca.
SHUMKA’S INVOLVEMENT IN AID FOR UKRAINE
With the tragic and heartbreaking war on Ukraine, Shumka has been focused on how to help our family, friends, fellow artists, collaborators, and countrymen. This is not unique to Shumka. Support for Ukraine has been at the forefront for the entire Ukrainian diaspora, and those beyond. The moral and financial support for Ukraine has been overwhelming and inspiring. It will be needed for a long period of time.
These are initiatives the Shumka family has completed or planned with all proceeds going to Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine as being collected by the Canada Ukraine Foundation (unless otherwise indicated). We encourage you to make an online donation to the Foundation and to read more about their humanitarian efforts here: www.cufoundation.ca. If you choose to direct your donation to Aid for Artists in Ukraine, please indicate so in the drop down menu online or on the memo line on your cheque.
To date we have been involved in initiatives that have brought in over $160,000 in aid to Ukraine.
At our February 27th Shumka School Winter Concert, Shumka Board Members and staff collected over $4,000 in Humanitarian Aid for the Canada Ukraine Foundation. Thank you to our audience members who contributed generously.
Studia Shumka performed at a March 13th Fundraising Concert at the Spirit of Hope United Church in Edmonton. $15,000 in proceeds for this multidisciplinary and multicultural event went to the Red Cross appeal for Ukraine.
During our Shumka On Tour shows throughout 2022, we will be collected donations for Ukrainian Humanitarian Aid through the Canada Ukraine Foundation Aid for Artists in Ukraine. The total amount collected was $27,196 exceeding our goal of $25,000.
The Alberta Jubilee Auditoria Society donated all concession and bar sales from Shumka’s April 8th On Tour performance to the Canada Ukraine Foundation Aid for Artists in Ukraine. The total collected was $9,058.
At our performances, we sold Slava Ukraini T-shirts (designed by one of our dancers), with all net proceeds going to the Canada Ukraine Foundation. The total amount collected was $9,500.
At our Shumka on Tour performances, we have collected donations from audiences totaling over $20,000 for the Canada Ukraine Foundation Aid for Artists.
On March 22nd, we presented Dancing on Eggshells – Shumka’s making of Ancestors & Elders documentary – and a film from Ukraine – in conjunction with Metro Cinema. Entry was by donation; over $1,600 was raised for the Canada Ukraine Foundation.
On March 31st, we relaunched our Shumka Blonde Ale through Sea Change Breweries with a portion of proceeds going to the Canada Ukraine Foundation.
Shumka participated in a benefit concert called A Night for Ukraine on April 19, which brought Edmonton’s largest Ukrainian dance companies together for an evening of solidarity with our family in Ukraine. For the first time in history, Cheremosh, Volya, Viter, Dunai, Vohon, and Shumka all performed on the same stage to raise humanitarian funds and celebrate the perseverance of our people and culture. The show was SOLD OUT and livestream viewing options were sold as well. Over $70,750 in proceeds from the event have gone to the Canada Ukraine Foundation Aid for Artists fund.
On April 30, Studia Shumka performed as part of BRAVO! UKRAINE at the University Theatre in Calgary. Over one hundred dancers participated, and all proceeds went to Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine.
On June 3, Shumka performed at the Edmonton Elks football game to kick off the season. The Elks also donated a portion of ticket sales proceeds to Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine at this CFL pre-season match against Calgary.
On June 10, we launched a collaborative video with the Winspear Centre and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra of My Yeh/We Do Exist in commemoration of the tragedy in Ukraine. The video is out on social media with the request to donate to the Canada Ukraine Foundation Aid to Artists fund. Here is link to the video: https://youtu.be/Yszi3f62ua0. Please share.
On June 26, an event called Hello Ukraine featured all of the large Edmonton area Ukrainian dance companies including Shumka, Studia and the Shumka School of Dance. The concert took place at the Shell Theatre in Fort Saskatchewan with proceeds going to support the Hosting Ukrainians in Fort Sask (HUFS) committee, which aims to facilitate hosting families and provide support to those displaced by the war on Ukraine.
In July, we presented an Artist-in-Residency at the Lougheed Centre in Camrose. Called Shumka: Emerge, budding Shumka choreographers workshopped and presented seven new works followed by an artist talk about inspirations and experience. The Lougheed Centre donated net ticket proceeds from the July 22nd concert event to the Canada Ukraine Foundation Aid for Artists in Ukraine. Including donations made by audience members, the total amount was $8,500.
