Agenda
Cultural Policy
Antonio Albino Canelas Rubim evaluates the cultural policies of former Ministers of Culture, Gilberto Gil (2003-2008) and Juca Ferreira (2008 –on). The paper suggests that the cultural policy in Brazil historically has been affected by three traditions: absence, authoritarianism and instability.
Status
Contemporary Music
The article takes a look at Gilberto Gil’s career in music and politics. It describes Gil’s journey from a young, activist artist living in Rio de Janeiro to his latest involvement in the international music scene which includes a performance in Egypt. According to Gil, politics is a central aspect of music and music can be understood as way of addressing the world. Gilberto Gil served as Minister of Culture under the Lula Government from 2003 – 2008.
Contemporary Art Scene
Joshua Mack reviews the 30th Bienal de São Paulo (September 7 – December 9, 2012). Bienal de São Paulo is the longest existing biennale, not including the Venice Biennale. It has put São Paulo on the map as a cultural capital and the 30th São Paulo Bienal investigates how art creates meaning in the interaction between the work of art and the onlooker.
Art and Sustainability
Photographer, Sebastião Salgado, tells the story of his life and native region through photography. He has documented rare nature sights and the transition of his barren farm land into forest. He advocates a balanced relationship between man and nature using indigenous people as an example.
Architecture
Architect, Oscar Niemeyer, speaks of his work in the capitol city of Brasilia and buildings that are being erected in Europe. He describes the work process regarding the preliminary drawings of buildings and he shows sources of inspiration. According to Niemeyer, architecture in the near future will change in accordance with nature and climate change. Architecture will also be democratized, in other words have equality in living standards and access to great architecture for all.
Influence of Brazilian Cultural Policies outside Brazil
Jude Kelly proposes that the UK could look towards Brazil as an example of how to strengthen the level of local involvement in the communities through art and culture. Kelly describes the Brazilian initiative Points of Culture which was created by former Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil. The initiative offers cultural activities that engage people both locally and on a larger scale. Kelly talks about how cultural workshops lead by artists offers young people an alternative to the gun and drug culture.
This paper from Ryerson University in Canada suggests that there is much to learn from the Brazilian model, Social Services of Commerce (SESC). SESC was formed by employers with the intention of providing social services for employees and their families. Shortly after in 1946, it was institutionalized by the Brazilian Government. Culture is one of SESC’s five focus areas.
The European Union hope to strengthen cooperation between Brazil and EU on two agendas, higher education and culture. In regards of higher education, the partnership should increase mobility of students who want to study abroad. A strategic cooperation should also create stronger ties in the area of culture and help preserve cultural heritage sites.
Challenges
UNESCO proposes that Brazil is facing three key challenges. That is conservation of heritage sites, increase in cultural consumption and how it relates to cultural access, and finally the managerial system of the Cultural Field.
UNESCO
Access to Culture
The article suggests that a majority of the Brazilian Public has limited access to cultural services such as cinemas and theatres. According to the article, this is partly due to Rouanet Law which encourages the business sector to invest money in cultural project. This creates a concentration of cultural services in large economic hubs. The article also discusses how to further a decentralization of cultural services using existing projects as examples.
The Brazilian Post
Crime
“Acclaimed Brazilian NGO, Grupo Cultural AfroReggae, has been the target of violent attacks recently, allegedly from drug trafficking gangs, prompting an outcry of public support. The organization has played an iconic role in Rio’s fight for cultural identity and social inclusion for the 22 percent of Rio that live in favela communities, and beyond.” (Quoted from article)
The Rio Times
Possibilities/Miscellaneous
Culture and Sustainability
According to the paper, culture should be made the fourth pillar of sustainability (the others being the environmental, social, and economic pillar). The paper talks about the role of culture in sustainable development in the past two decades, from the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 leading up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in 2012. It evaluates the work of the Secretariat of Rio+20 and the Final Outcome Document which concluded Rio+20.
Gay Culture
The article discusses a growing evangelical movement in Brazil. The occasion for the article is the São Paulo Gay Pride where posters of saints with the caption “Not even a saint can save you. Use a condom” were hung in the streets. According to the maker of the posters, the posters are made for educational purposes but critics suggest that the saints are portrayed with inappropriate sexual innuendos.
Economic possibilities
All over the world cultural organizations are tightening their budgets and paring back productions. But Danilo Miranda faces a different challenge, one that makes him the envy of his peers. As the director of the leading arts financing entity in Brazil, his budget is growing by 10 percent or more annually, and he must figure out ways to spend that bounty, which amounts to $600 million a year.
Key Policies
General Structure
The paper gives a general overview of political actors in the cultural field, actors in the business sector and incentive laws made to further cultural activities. In addition to this, it puts the structural build of the cultural sector into a historical framework. The paper is made in connection with a cultural exchange program between Brazil and the Netherlands.
Pontos de Cultura
When Gilberto Gil became Minister of Culture in 2002, Brazil took up very innovative policy actions in the field of digital policy that concerns the use of free software, the promotion of an alternative to copyright such as the use of the Creative Commons licences (sic) for multimedia contents: a set of policies ranging from digital culture to alternatives to patents on drugs. With the “Cultura Viva” programme implemented by Gilberto Gil in 2003, Brazil started a new generation of digital inclusion policy, in which the approach to technology and digital divide has a radical cultural connotation.
Key Figures
Instituto Brasileiro de Geographie e Estatítica (IBGE)
In 2004, IBGE [Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística] established a partnership with the Ministry of Culture in order to develop a consistent and continuous basis of cultural-related information and to build cultural indicators to be applied to studies, researches and publications. Though [sic] these indicators, the institution is able to provide governmental and public institutions, besides society in general, with data for more specific studies. The result of this partnership was a study based on statistics of production (supply) of goods and services, household and government expenditure (demand), and characteristics of manpower in this sector (employment) produced by IBGE.
Key Persons
SESC – Danilo Miranda
Social Services of Commerce (SESC) is a Brazilian institution that provides social welfare and has a great presence in cultural areas such as art, dance, theatre, sports and more. Regional director of SESC São Paulo, Danilo Miranda, speaks of the historical development of SESC and strategies for cultural activities such as multiculturalism, education and relevance to a greater audience.
Gilberto Gil
Cultural Exchange – The Netherlands interviews former Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, who is known for addressing political and social themes through music. This interview portrays his work in cultural policy and the role of cultural exchange – artistically and politically.
Transition to Globalisation
The article speaks of the impact of African culture in Brazil which has the largest population of people with African origin in South America. Brazil has seen a large migration of Africans mostly due to slavery which was abolished in 1888. The African slaves brought their own culture and this culture has mixed with Portuguese and Amerindian customs to create cultural expressions such as Samba, Carnival and Tropicália.
Globalisation > Demography > Migration
Transition to Political Tools
The joint declaration on culture, which was agreed upon by the European Commission and the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, forms a strategic partnership between Europe and Brazil on the subject of culture. Its key focus is to build co-operation on cultural diversity and exchange of best practice and policies. The parties have agreed to review implementations and future co-operation annually.
Tools > Institutions > Regional > Europe > EU > Ext. Policies
Transition to Political Actors
CEO of RioFilme, Sérgio Sá Leitão, announces that the city of Rio de Janeiro is to build a $50 film and TV studio. This is primarily in response to a 27 % growth of TV subscribers in 2012. In addition to this growth TV operators are required to air 3.5 hours of locally produced material.
Actors > Sector > Business > Media > National > Brazil
