Heritage Fund

A Home of Our Own: the Marionettes Property Fund

Like many other artists and performance arts groups, the Marionettes Chorale — now nearly 200 strong over its adult, youth, and children’s choirs — has rented rehearsal space at church halls like All Saints Church and most recently Greyfriars Church (which was recently sold, then demolished); and paid a premium to store our vast library of sheet music, photo albums, CDs, videos, instruments, sets, props and costumes at warehouses and storage units.

Aerial plans of the Marionettes Property in Port of Spain

As we look to ensure our organisational sustainability and how we can further contribute to the development of the performing arts industry and infrastructure in this landscape of boundless talent, there is a pressing need for a home of our own — a unique rehearsal and performance space which we can share with other organisations and artists.

Since 2001 with the establishment of the Marionettes Property Fund, we have been working to make this dream a reality, to create a multi-use rehearsal and performance space unlike any other already existing in Port of Spain or the country.

How you can help

Individual monetary donations

No amount that you can give is too small! You can donate in one of the following ways:

online via PayPal
Via direct deposit or bank/wire transfer to Republic Bank Account #150 215 057 101
through our Buy-A-Brick drive at concerts and performances
by mail by sending a cheque to The Marionettes Chorale, c/o 6 Prospect Avenue, Long Circular, Maraval 120111, Trinidad & Tobago

Marionettes CDs and merchandise

Proceeds of all our online CD (and future DVD) sales and Flow Local On-Demand programming go to the Property Fund
Our albums can be bought at our concerts and events, and online through iTunes, Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, and many more.

For businesses & professionals: pledging products & services

Several businesses have already pledged products and services (engineering, ACs, doors and windows, quantity surveying, pest control — see the deliverables to date section below). What we need most of all is building materials and services. Please send us an email at email@marionetteschorale.com or telephone Marionettes Manager Joanne Mendes at (868) 790-1751 if you can help!

Deliverables to date

2001:
- Establishment of the Marionettes Property Fund. Fundraising efforts begin (which have yielded, to date, over TT$1.5 million)
2006:
- The Marionettes receives a plot of land in Mucurapo from the Government of Trinidad & Tobago, near to the TTSPCA and Starlift Steel Orchestra sites
2009:
- Designs completed by Sean Leonard
- Construction estimate supplied by Hart & Leonard Chartered Quantity Surveyors, estimating construction costs at just over TT$17 million
- Buy-a-Brick programme introduced, where members of the public contribute whatever they can to the Marionettes Property Fund, at concert events, via direct deposit, and online from anywhere in the world via PayPal (see above)
2010–2014:
- - Complimentary services pledged by supporters:
    - Engineering
    - Doors and windows
    - Pest (termite) extermination services before, during and after completion
    - Fixed-cost Quantity Surveying services
    - Air conditioning equipment offered at cost plus
    - Free consultancy on lighting and sound system

July 2015:
- All planning permissions and approvals received from Town & Country Planning Division, WASA (Water & Sewerage Authority) for project, and the Fire Department and the Port of Spain City Corporation. We are ready to build!

Plans of the front and side of the Marionettes property in Port of Spain

Community & organisational need for the space

The Marionettes seek to introduce a one-of-a-kind, multi-use rehearsal and performance facility which can be utilised not just by our organisation but also by the national performing arts community, and which can serve as a cultural incubator for emerging and established artists. It is also a key component to making the organisation self-sustaining in the long term. No such facility currently exists in Trinidad or Tobago.

Our plans for the space are as big as our dreams as an organisation:

Secure rehearsal space
Secure storage of our vast library (sheet music, photo albums, CDs, videos, instruments, sets and costumes)
The Marionettes Arts Outreach Pilot Programme, including performing arts workshops, scholarship and mentorship schemes, and master classes for students, children and adults, in partnership with primary, secondary and tertiary institutions
Presenting intimate performances by both the Marionettes and a range of other emerging and established local artists and groups
Studio and performance space for rental to other artists and groups nationwide

We hope to be around for a very long time, growing with and giving to the people of Trinidad & Tobago. We hope you will help us help ourselves, and to secure our future as a vibrant part of the national performing arts scene for many years to come.