Do It For The Culture Competitive Showcase Application 🎉🎭🌍

Do It For The Culture Showcase Application

Presented by the Chicago Capoeira Center and Centro Cultural Quilombo, Inc.
DO IT FOR THE CULTURE FESTIVAL
May 27–30, 2027 in Chicago

This community-rooted festival brings together local and international mestres, artists, and ensembles working in capoeira and related Afro-Brazilian cultural traditions. Across four days, we share training, conversation, and creation through workshops, rodas, discussions, and performances that honor roots in the African diaspora while speaking to the lives we are living now.
About the Do It For The Culture Showcase

The Do It For The Culture Showcase is a mentored performance competition within the festival. Submissions must be ensemble performances rooted in an Afro-Brazilian art form or cultural tradition. We especially encourage ensembles of capoeira practitioners to apply. The Showcase invites participants to deepen their knowledge of Afro-Brazilian art forms and cultural traditions that have developed alongside capoeira. Selected ensembles will receive mentorship leading up to the festival as they research, develop their ideas, and prepare their performances for the stage. During the festival, the ensembles will present their work before a panel of judges as part of a shared public performance program.
Important Dates and Application Fee:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through September 30, 2026, or until all Showcase slots have been filled. Early applications are strongly encouraged. All applicants will be notified no later than October 5, 2026.

Application fee: $50 per submission. The fee may be paid through Zelle or PayPal by the application deadline. The fee is the same regardless of payment method. This non-refundable fee helps cover administrative and production costs for the festival.

For applicants outside the United States, the fee may be paid through PayPal or, with prior approval from the organizing team, in cash during the festival. Please contact quilombocc@gmail.com before submitting if you would like to request approval to pay the fee in cash during the festival.

If the fee would seriously strain your ensemble's budget or prevent you from submitting a proposal, you may request a need-based fee waiver or reduction by emailing quilombocc@gmail.com with the subject line: Fee Support - [Ensemble Name] - [Performance Title]

Please include a short note of two to three sentences about your situation. We especially prioritize support for applicants based in countries where paying in U.S. dollars creates a significant barrier. Your request will not affect how your artistic proposal is evaluated.
About This Application

This form is intended to share your ensemble’s current ideas, interest, and direction for the Showcase. Details of the event, including the venue and technical setup, are still being finalized. Selected ensembles will be able to revise and adapt their proposals in dialogue with the organizing team.

Space in the mentorship program and the Showcase is limited. Even if your ensemble is not selected, we hope you will still consider being part of the festival community as participants and guests.
Before You Begin

Please gather your proposal concept, an approximate performer list, mentor information if applicable, a video link that is publicly viewable, your planned payment method, and preliminary technical needs before starting. Once your materials are ready, the form may take about 45–60 minutes to complete. Not every detail needs to be final. Please answer based on what you know right now. Because applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and space is limited, we encourage you to submit once your core concept and direction are clear rather than waiting for every detail to be finalized. When appropriate, you may write ‘Not yet determined,’ ‘None at this time,’ or ‘We would like to explore this through mentorship.’ If any question is unclear or you are unsure what information is being requested, please contact quilombocc@gmail.com for guidance.
Save Your Progress

You do not need to complete this application in one sitting. To save your progress, select Save at the bottom of the form. You can then have your draft link sent to your email or copy the draft link and save it somewhere secure. Use that link to return to your application and continue where you left off. A Jotform account is not required.
Thank you for your interest in the Do It For The Culture Showcase. We look forward to learning more about your ensemble, your ideas, and the work you hope to develop. We appreciate your willingness to be part of this process and help shape the spirit of the event.

Applicant Information

Please provide the primary information for the ensemble submitting this proposal.
Ensemble Name
If your ensemble does not yet have a final name, you may enter a working name or the name of the capoeira academy, school, or organization you expect to represent. You may update this later if your group is selected.
Primary Contact Name

First NameLast Name
Preferred Name or Capoeira Apelido
Please share the name you would like the organizing team to use when communicating with you. This may be your preferred name, capoeira apelido, or both.
Contact Person Role
Examples: coordinator, artistic lead, teacher, performer.
Preferred Language(s) for Communication
Examples: Portuguese, English, Spanish.
Email
example@example.com
Phone and/or WhatsApp

Area CodePhone Number
City
State/Province
Country

Performance Proposal

This section asks about the performance your ensemble would like to develop for the Showcase. Your proposal may continue to evolve if your ensemble is selected. Applicants should describe the work as it exists now; working titles, tentative structures, clearly organized bullet points, and ideas they hope to explore through mentorship are welcome. The proposal does not need to be fully finalized at the time of application.
Afro-Brazilian Art Form(s) or Cultural Tradition(s)
Please identify the Afro-Brazilian art form or cultural tradition at the center of your proposed performance. Showcase submissions must center an art form or cultural tradition that is Afro-Brazilian in origin.
Performance Title
Enter the working title of your performance. You may write ‘Not yet determined’ if the title has not been finalized.
Estimated Performance Length
How Proposals Will Be Reviewed
- The clarity and development of the artistic concept
- The structure of the proposed performance
- Its historical and cultural grounding
- The connection between the work and the ensemble’s experiences or communities
- The project’s potential to develop through mentorship
This application review determines which ensembles will be invited to participate in the Do It For The Culture Showcase. It is separate from the live judging of the completed performances. During the Showcase, a panel of judges will evaluate the final performances.

Inclusion, audience accessibility, and content or safety considerations will be addressed separately on the next page.
Proposal Description
Please describe your proposed performance in approximately 300–500 words. A few short paragraphs or clearly organized bullet points are welcome. Please include: the artistic concept and structure of the performance; the historical and cultural context of the Afro-Brazilian art form or tradition involved; and how the work connects to the lives, experiences, or communities of the ensemble today. You do not need to have every detail finalized. This application is intended to communicate your current ideas, intentions, and direction for the Showcase. Need more time? Select Save at the bottom of the form to save your progress and return later using your draft link.

Inclusion, Audience Accessibility, and Care

These questions help us understand the intentions behind your work and consider how the Showcase can support performers and audiences. Applicants may share current plans, areas still being developed, or ideas they hope to explore through mentorship, and they do not need to address every example. We do not expect every proposal to address every example or have every detail finalized at the time of application. Selected ensembles may continue developing these areas through the mentorship process. These questions are not intended to limit the cultural expression, intensity, or subject matter of your performance. Your responses help reviewers understand your choices and help the organizing team plan responsibly.
How does your proposed performance approach inclusion?
We ask about inclusion because the Showcase values thoughtful participation, representation, collaboration, and attention to whose experiences and histories are centered. This is not a demographic checklist. You might consider: who participates and who holds visible or leadership roles; whose stories, histories, or perspectives are centered; representation of women, LGBTQ+ people, Black and other people of color, elders, or people with different levels of experience; cultural narratives that acknowledge roots in the African diaspora or bring attention to overlooked histories; and collaboration among students, teachers, groups, or community members. These are examples, not requirements. You do not need to address every area listed. A response of approximately 100–200 words is usually sufficient.
How might different audience members connect with and follow your performance?
We ask about audience accessibility so we can understand how people with different levels of cultural knowledge, language access, sensory needs, or ways of engaging may connect with the performance. Applicants are not responsible for managing every aspect of venue or audience access. You may describe what you are already planning or ideas you would like to explore during the mentorship process. Examples may include: optional participation through call-and-response, clapping, or movement; visual storytelling that communicates meaning or structure; brief spoken, written, or projected context for people unfamiliar with the tradition; subtitles, projected translations, or explanations of songs and key terms; and informing the organizing team about especially loud or intense sections so that audience notices and sensory supports can be planned. These are examples, not requirements. Applicants are not expected to provide every form of access listed. A response of approximately 100–200 words is usually sufficient.
Does your proposed performance include anything the organizing team should be aware of when planning the program?
We ask for this information so the organizing team can plan production needs, communicate clearly with audiences, and present complex work with care. This may include especially loud or intense percussion; strobe or rapidly changing lighting; fire or other special effects; simulated violence; or themes that may benefit from an audience advisory, such as enslavement, state violence, grief, or gender-based violence. We welcome proposals that engage thoughtfully with complex histories and difficult subjects. This information helps us plan responsibly and will not by itself disadvantage your application. Details may be revised as the performance develops. Please write 'None at this time' if there is nothing to report.

Mentorship Preferences
Selected ensembles will take part in a long-term mentorship process over the months leading up to the Showcase. The mentorship program is designed to pair each selected ensemble with a master teacher in an Afro-Brazilian art form. The length, format, and frequency of mentorship may vary depending on the project, mentor availability, and final event timeline. This section helps us understand whether your ensemble would like to be paired with a mentor or is already working with someone you would like to propose. Applicants may select the “We are still deciding and would like to discuss the options.” choice without disadvantaging their application, and mentor arrangements may continue to develop through conversation with the organizing team.
How would your ensemble like to approach mentorship for this project?
Mentor’s Name
Mentor’s City
Mentor’s State/Province
Mentor’s Country
Mentor’s Art Form(s) or Area of Focus
Relationship to Your Ensemble
Examples: teacher, collaborator, artistic advisor, cultural practitioner, community leader.
Mentor’s Email
example@example.com
Mentor’s Phone Number

Area CodePhone Number
Has this person agreed to participate as a mentor if your ensemble is selected?
Proposed mentors are not automatically confirmed. Final mentor arrangements will be made in conversation with selected ensembles, proposed mentors, and the organizing team.

Performer Composition

Please tell us about the people currently expected to participate in the proposed performance. We understand that the ensemble may continue to develop and that the final roster may change before the Showcase. Tentative names, roles, and roster estimates are acceptable; please list what you know at the time of application.
Primary Artistic or Project Lead — Name

First NameLast Name
Primary Artistic or Project Lead — Role within the ensemble or project
This is the person who will be most directly involved in artistic decisions, communication, and the mentorship process. They may be the same person listed as the primary contact. Examples of roles include teacher, choreographer, musical director, artistic lead, performer, or project coordinator.
Approximately how many performers will take part?
Include capoeiristas, dancers, musicians, singers, narrators, and anyone else who will appear in the performance.
Current Performer List
Please list the performers currently expected to participate and their anticipated roles. If the full ensemble has not been confirmed, include the people you know at this time and indicate whether each person is confirmed or tentative.
How complete is your performer roster at this time?
Will any performers be under 18 at the time of the festival?
Are there any accessibility needs or accommodations the organizing team should consider for members of your ensemble?
This may include mobility or seating needs, communication access, sensory considerations, scheduling needs, or other support that may affect rehearsals, mentorship, or participation during the event. Sharing access needs will not by itself disadvantage an application. Details may also be discussed privately with selected ensembles as plans develop. Please write 'None at this time' if there is nothing to report. You may also write 'We would prefer to discuss this privately with the organizing team if selected.'

Technical and Staging Needs

The venue and production resources are still being finalized. Please provide your best understanding of what the performance may require at this stage. Technical and staging details may be revised in collaboration with selected ensembles once the venue, available equipment, and production limitations are confirmed. Listing a request does not guarantee that it can be provided, but it helps the organizing team plan and begin a conversation about what may be possible. Not yet determined, None at this time, and ideas the ensemble would like to explore during mentorship are acceptable where appropriate.
Performance Space and Floor Requirements
Please consider approximate floor space, entrances or exits, formations, floor surface, props, chairs, platforms, and distance from the audience. You may write "Open performance space with no special requirements." if that applies.
Instruments and Equipment Brought by the Ensemble
Please list the instruments and equipment you currently anticipate bringing. You may write "Not yet determined." if needed.
Equipment Requested from the Organizing Team
Please distinguish essential items from helpful or optional items. You may write "None at this time." if needed.
Which description best matches your anticipated sound needs?
Please describe your anticipated sound or audio needs.
Please include microphones, amplification, playback, or any other sound support you may need. If it is not yet determined, you may say so.
Does your current performance concept involve lighting, projected images, video, subtitles, translations, or other visual media?
Please describe how lighting, projection, captioning, or other visual media would be used in the performance.
Please note which elements are essential and which are adaptable.
Additional Technical or Staging Information
You may write “None at this time.” if there is nothing else to add.

Performance Sample and Supporting Materials

Please provide at least one video sample that helps reviewers understand your ensemble’s performance experience, artistic approach, or current direction. The video does not need to be professionally produced. A clear phone recording of a performance, rehearsal, or work in progress is acceptable. Please submit the most relevant sample currently available, and it does not need to show the exact final ensemble, cast, or finished performance concept.
Required Video Sample
Provide a link through YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, Dropbox, or another accessible platform. Before submitting, confirm that the link opens correctly, reviewers can view it without signing in or requesting access, and it will remain available throughout the review period. You may use an unlisted video, but do not submit a private or access-restricted link.
Description of the Video Sample
In two to four sentences, describe what reviewers are seeing, when and where it was recorded if relevant, the art form represented, your role in the work, and anything reviewers should notice.
Which statement best describes the video sample?
Please explain the relationship between the video sample and this application.
Additional Video Samples
For each additional sample, include the link, a brief description, and its relationship to this proposal. Please include only the most relevant examples and confirm that each link can be viewed without signing in or requesting access.
Would you like to include short bios for the ensemble, artistic lead, or individual performers?
Short Bios
Please keep bios concise and include only information relevant to the proposed work.
Additional Supporting Materials
You may include ensemble or artist websites, social media pages, photographs, written project descriptions, press coverage, or previous related work. Include a link and brief description for each item.

Our Collaboration for the Showcase

This application is intended to communicate your ensemble’s current ideas, intentions, and direction for the Showcase. We understand that creative work develops over time and that some details may change during the mentorship process. The venue, technical setup, available equipment, performance schedule, and other production details are still being finalized. These factors may affect how performances are staged or require parts of a proposal to be adapted.
What the Organizing Team Commits To
- Communicate clearly as event and production details are confirmed
- Give selected ensembles reasonable notice when plans or requirements change
- Work in conversation with ensembles when adaptations are needed
- Make a good-faith effort to support the artistic vision, cultural integrity, and practical needs of each selected project
- Be transparent about limitations that may affect what can be provided
While we cannot guarantee that every technical or staging request will be available, we will work with selected ensembles to identify appropriate and realistic options.

What We Ask of Selected Ensembles
- Participate in the mentorship and development process
- Communicate consistently with the mentor and organizing team
- Keep the organizing team informed of significant changes to the proposal, performers, or technical needs
- Remain open to reasonable adjustments based on the venue, schedule, safety requirements, and available production resources
- Work collaboratively toward a performance that respects both the ensemble’s artistic vision and the shared needs of the Showcase
Submitting this application does not require the proposed performance to remain unchanged. The final piece may continue to develop through mentorship and communication with the organizing team.
I have read and understand Our Collaboration for the Showcase. I understand that this application describes our ensemble’s current intentions and that the proposal may be revised through mentorship and in response to confirmed venue, scheduling, technical, or production conditions.
Name of person completing this acknowledgment

First NameLast Name

Application Fee, Review, and Submission

Before submitting, please review your responses and confirm how the application fee for this proposal will be handled.
Application fee payment method/status
Send $50 through Zelle to quilombocc@gmail.com. Include [Ensemble Name] or [Primary Contact Name] and "Showcase Application" in the memo.
Complete the $50 PayPal payment below.
PayPal Payment — $50 Application Fee
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Do it For the Culture Showcase Application Fee
$50.00 Quantity

Total

$0.00
Please confirm that you emailed your fee-support request to quilombocc@gmail.com.
Please contact quilombocc@gmail.com before submitting to request approval to pay the fee in cash during the festival. Approval must be confirmed in advance.
You may submit this form before completing the payment step. However, your application will not be considered complete until the application fee has been received, or a fee waiver, reduction, or approval to pay the fee in cash during the festival has been confirmed.
I confirm that the information in this application is accurate to the best of my knowledge and reflects our ensemble’s current intentions for the proposed performance.
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Do It For The Culture Showcase Application

DO IT FOR THE CULTURE FESTIVALMay 27–30, 2027 in Chicago

About the Do It For The Culture Showcase

Important Dates and Application Fee:

About This Application

Before You Begin

Save Your Progress

Applicant Information

Performance Proposal

How Proposals Will Be Reviewed

Inclusion, Audience Accessibility, and Care

Mentorship Preferences

Performer Composition

Technical and Staging Needs

Performance Sample and Supporting Materials

Our Collaboration for the Showcase

What the Organizing Team Commits To

What We Ask of Selected Ensembles

Application Fee, Review, and Submission

PayPal Payment — $50 Application Fee*

DO IT FOR THE CULTURE FESTIVAL
May 27–30, 2027 in Chicago

PayPal Payment — $50 Application Fee