The Artistic and Cultural Extension Center of the University of Chile is the house of the National Symphony Orchestra, the Chilean National Ballet, the Symphonic Chorus and the Camerata Vocal of the University of Chile. The prestigious institution is the new collaborator towards Opera Latinpamérica’s mission

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The mission of the CEAC of the University of Chile is to collaborate in the cultural development of the country and in the safeguard and care of its identity, through the promotion of music, singing and dance. At the same time, maintain the level of excellence of the groups resident at CEAC: Chilean Symphony Orchestra, National Ballet, Symphonic Choir and Vocal Camerata.
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To fulfill the mission commissioned by the University of Chile, the CEAC carries out more than 100 presentations each year, distributed in an Annual Season of concerts, contemporary dance and symphonic-choral concerts at the University of Chile Theater and on tours to different communes and regions of Chile. Most of these presentations in other stages are free to the public.

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Theis currently being developed VM20 Project, which consists of the construction of a building that will house the Institute of Public Affairs (INAP), the Institute of International Studies (IEI), the Artistic and Cultural Extension Center (CEAC), the Department of Postgraduate and Postgraduate and the Direction of International Relations of this House of Studies.

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The building will have more than 32,000 square meters, on eight floors and five underground, which will house classrooms equipped with first-class technology, computer labs and languages, a library of three levels and offices of academics. Together with this, it contemplates more than 1,500 meters of interior courtyards, a physical conditioning room and underground parking. In addition, as part of the CEAC facilities, there will be a concert hall, a dance hall and rehearsal rooms for the Chilean Symphony Orchestra, the Chilean National Ballet and the Symphonic Chorus of the University of Chile.

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ABOUT ITS DIRECTOR

Diego Matte Palacios assumes in October 2015 as Director of the Artistic and Cultural Extension Centre of the University of Chile. He is a lawyer, editor and manager, has been director and advisor of various public and non-profit institutions.
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Highlights of his work as a legal and cultural advisor in urban Mapuche associations in the Metropolitan Region. He has created and directed his own ventures such as Santiago Walk, for which he was featured by El Mercurio magazine “Sábado” as one of the 100 Young Leaders of 2006, and Matte Editores producing and editing books such as La Vega, Mapocho Torrente Urbano and the Unknown Patagonia, among others. He has also been Executive Director of the Literary Rights Society SADEL and served as Director of the National Historical Museum, where he received the 2014 Conservation Award from the Council of National Monuments for the recovery and qualification project of the Torre Mirador National Monument, of the National Historical Museum.
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Member of the Pablo Neruda Foundation and of the Chilean Society of History and Geography, he is also Vice-President of the Alberto Cruz Covarrubias Foundation.
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Regarding his work as Director of the CEAC, he pointed out that “It is an enormous and beautiful challenge to work together with the stable national bodies, with the commitment of being able to contribute to develop the necessary and optimal conditions for their proper functioning and projection. way to improve and deepen the access of the community to his artistic work which enjoys a deserved prestige. It is also an honor to be able to join the University of Chile, the matrix of humanistic and scientific thinking of our nation. “

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A LITTLE HISTORY
The history of the Center for Artistic and Cultural Extension of the University of Chile dates back to the late 1930s, moments when culture and the arts in general were in a state of primary development in the country. Although the CEAC as such was created in 1987, previous organizations founded the long way in which the University of Chile, since its foundation, has worked to promote the artistic and cultural diffusion from its various levels. With the creation of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Chile in 1929, the institution began to play a fundamental role in the development of the cultural life of the country.

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The arrival of the musicians Armando Carvajal and Domingo Santa Cruz to the dean in 1931, and 1932-1953, respectively, favored a very favorable environment to achieve the institutionalization of the music scene. The creation of Musical Extension Institute also meant the founding of the following dependencies: Chilean Symphony Orchestra (1941), Chilean String Quartet (1941), Ballet School (1941), Chilean National Ballet (1945), University Choir of Chile (1945) Chilean Musical Magazine (1945), Institute of Musical Investigations (1947), Prizes for Work (1947) and Chilean Music Festivals (1948). Subsequently, other artistic organizations were created: Hindemith Wind Quintet, Madrigalist Choir, Chamber Choir of Valparaíso, National Opera and Chamber Ballet, as well as Radio IEM.
In 1989 a lease agreement was made with the former Baquedano Theater, thus achieving a place suitable for the requirements of the ensembles and allowing the planning of an Official Season of concerts and ballet, which is now called ” Theater University of Chile “. Currently the CEAC is the most important Center for music, song and dance in the country, dependent on a public university. Among its main features are managing the oldest artistic groups in the country: the Chilean Symphony Orchestra, the Chilean National Ballet, the Symphonic Choir, and the Vocal Camerata that was integrated in the year 2000.

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Check the 2018 season of the CEAC of the University of Chile here.
CEAC Universidad de Chile Season 2018