‘Reviver Centro Cultural’: Centro do Rio gains three cultural spaces this weekend | Rio de Janeiro

Downtown Rio gains cultural space this weekend

Downtown Rio will gain new cultural spaces this weekend. The measure is part of the “Reviver Centro Cultural” project, between the city hall and the private sector, which aims to revitalize the city’s Center and Port Zone.

This Friday (26th) Ginga Tropical started operating and on Saturday (27th) it’s Queerioca’s turn. The inaugurations have events open to the public, bringing presentations, conversation circles, book launches and music. Casa Carnaval will promote an off-season party on Sunday (28) in the streets of the Center to mark the pre-launch of the space (see the schedule at the end of the report).

Other spaces such as Casa TUCUM, Cará, Advanced Research Center for the New Traditional Samba Where the Choir Comes – IBORU and Casa de Cultura Volta do Mundo were already in operation.

The opportunity to launch projects through Reviver gave entrepreneurs the opportunity to work with culture and express their love for the Center.

Responsible for Queerioca, which was created with the aim of visibility and exchange for LGBTQIAPN+ artists from Rio, Laura Castro and Cristina Flores say that they fell in love at first sight with the mansion where the space will be created in Travessa do Comércio, near Arco do Teles.

“It’s a thrill to see the culture and the Center of Rio being reborn”, says Laura.

The idea for the space came up in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Years later, they signed up for a notice from the city hall, the Reviver Centro Cultural.

The project aims to occupy properties in the city center that have been abandoned in recent years.

The city hall provides support with financial transfers for store renovations, in addition to a monthly stipend.

The artists get their hands dirty and carry out the projects. Spacious spaces such as art galleries, bookstores, design, fashion, music and dance studios, for example, were chosen.

The creators needed to meet some criteria, such as already carrying out a commercial or cultural activity, having night-time opening hours and staying at least 30 months in charge of the space.

The Reviver Cultural project covers an area between Orla Conde, and Primeiro de Março, Presidente Vargas, Rio Branco and Rua da Assembleia avenues – always in properties facing the street.

The idea is that, little by little, the historic streets of downtown Rio can once again revive the city’s culture.

Rose Oliveira, creator of Ginga Tropical, says that the dream of a cultural enterprise was an old one. For 20 years, she was a flight attendant. She traveled the world until she decided to put on a show that showcased Brazilian culture.

“I was a flight attendant and traveled the world. I traveled a lot and I always observed the world in a certain way, the way Brazil was seen. In the 80s, Brazil was seen with stereotypes linked to bodies and women, and that gave me a mission, I wanted to change that look”, he recalls.

Now, she and other artists have a home. And people with stories like hers won’t have to go through the same difficulties.

The opening of the spaces began this Friday (26), with the opening of Ginga Tropical at Rua da Alfândega, 19. The house is dedicated to promoting Brazilian folklore and popular culture, especially the performing and musical arts. Ginga intends to produce dance shows, in addition to teaching theoretical and practical courses on folklore, seeking to value and perpetuate Brazilian culture. The house will open with a show, dance and samba de roda.

On Saturday (27), Travessa do Comércio, 16 will host the art and exchange point on the queer universe. Queerioca will be a space for residence and production of queer art, in order to provide visibility and exchange for LGBTQIAPN+ artists from Rio. The house will open its doors at 12pm, starting the program with the opening of the DiferEntre expo.

At 4pm, the book “Benditas Things Que Eu Não Sei”, published by Agir, by Zélia Duncan, will be launched, with an autograph session. At 6pm, the short film “Uma Paciência Selvagem Trouxe A Aqui”, by Eri Sarnet, with Zélia Duncan and Bruna Linzmeyer, will be shown, as well as a dramatized reading of the play “Eu Vou!”, by Zélia Duncan, with Cristina Flores, that will happen after the exhibition.

At 9pm, a samba circle with Zélia Duncan and Ana Costa, based on their original album “Sete Mulheres pela Independência do Brasil”. And the first edition of the Arco dos Prazeres party with resident DJ Tatá Ogan and DJ Glau, starts at 11pm. The party pays homage to a legend known by Rio residents, Bárbara dos Prazeres, popularly called “Bruxa do Arco do Teles”, in the first half of the 19th century. It is the only paid event in the space’s opening schedule.

Closing the weekend, on Sunday (28), Casa Carnaval will bring the off-season party starting from Praça parade with drums from Viradouro, with a concentration in Praça XV. At 5pm, the house opening ceremony and cleaning of the space will take place. At 5:30 pm, conversation circle, and at 6 pm, samba circle and cultural groups. From 9pm, there will be a DJ set until 11pm.