Petrobras, Brazil’s Largest Oil Company, Will Invest R$ 10 Million in Projects That Promote Brazilian Culture

Public Call of the Petrobras Cultural Program Announces 15 Selected Initiatives

Carioca and capixaba samba, indigenous languages, Maranhão afro-Brazilian music, Ariano Suassuna’s Armorial Movement… The diversity of projects selected in the Petrobras Cultural public call – Multiple Expressions, the results of which were announced last Tuesday (06/21), reflects the Brazilian cultural mosaic.

Targeted at projects developed in museums and cultural institutions, the call selected initiatives from 10 Brazilian states, featuring activities such as festivals and exhibitions that enhance the various expressions of national culture, including art, popular culture, folklore, regional characteristics, and historical themes. The projects will take place in 15 cultural spaces across the country and will receive investments of R$10 million, joining the 54 ongoing sponsorships of the Petrobras Cultural Program.

“We believe that encouraging projects that value Brazil’s cultural richness is an important role for the company in society. The result is a continuous contribution not only to enable projects and public access: we stimulate the entire productive chain of the sector, which involves events, commerce, jobs, and tourism, generating a positive impact on the economy,” says Petrobras’ Executive Communication Manager, Fernanda Bianchini.

The Winning Projects Include Educational Activities and Accessibility Actions

All initiatives participating in the “Petrobras Cultural – Multiple Expressions” call receive support from cultural incentive laws and underwent a rigorous evaluation process, during which more than 400 projects were analyzed, with the participation of experts from the cultural sector and the Federal Government’s Communication Secretariat, observing the criteria of the public notice. The evaluation committee that selected the projects of the call included visual artist Elaine Pinheiro, an expert in exhibition production in cultural institutions; arts researcher and historian Francisco Dacol, current director-curator of the Museum of Art of Rio Grande do Sul; Joana Corrêa, PhD in Anthropology, a specialist in cultural management; and historian Tânia Rodrigues, Manager of the Encyclopedia Nucleus at Itaú Cultural.

The winning projects include educational activities and accessibility actions, providing information and knowledge while enhancing the audience’s experience in cultural spaces. The selection through a public call reinforces Petrobras’ transparency in its sponsorship selection processes, focused on specific segments of culture.  

Check Below the Selected Projects:

São Paulo: Ronoel Simões: The Uniqueness of Brazilian Guitar (São Paulo/SP): Activities at the São Paulo Cultural Center to promote the Ronoel Simões Collection, one of the largest collections of guitar scores and recordings in Brazil.

Exhibition of Brazilian Languages (São Paulo/SP): Temporary exhibition at the Museum of the Portuguese Language focusing on indigenous languages.

Craft Fair – Brazilian Roots (São Paulo/SP): Event featuring exhibitions, presentations, and workshops of crafts and popular art from all over Brazil, showcasing over 40,000 handcrafted pieces, at the São Paulo Biennial Pavilion.

Rio de Janeiro: Casa da Cultura de Paraty – Exhibition (Paraty/RJ): In-person and virtual exhibition on the history of Paraty’s culture, with educational activities for schools.

Rolé Carioca visits the National Historical Museum (Rio de Janeiro/RJ): Educational program and activities celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Historical Museum of Rio de Janeiro, with guided visits for schools, teachers, and the public. It is part of the activities circuit for the Bicentennial of the Republic.

“To the Heroes of Freedom” (Rio de Janeiro/RJ): Thematic exhibition with immersive experiences at the Samba Museum in Rio, telling the history of the black population through samba.

Fluminenses Landscapes: Images and Forms (Rio de Janeiro/RJ): Artistic exhibitions and educational activities at Casa França Brasil on impactful movements and artists in the region.

Amazonas / Rio de Janeiro: Voices of Nature (Manaus/AM, Rio de Janeiro/RJ): Series of concerts in different formations, themed around the relationship between music and Brazilian nature, at the Amazonas Theater and Rio’s Botanical Garden, blending music, technology, and sounds of nature.

Espírito Santo: Samba That I Want to See – Cultural Showcase of Bamba from Vitória (Vitória/ES): Cultural showcase about the history of capixaba samba at the Sônia Cabral Cultural Palace.

Minas Gerais: Inhotim Institute – Exhibition Abdias do Nascimento – Acts III and IV (Brumadinho/MG): Exhibition at the Inhotim Institute about the work of artist Abdias do Nascimento, in partnership with the Museum of Black Art.

Cora of the Red River Visits Minas Gerais (Belo Horizonte/MG, Juiz de Fora/MG, Uberlândia/MG, Tiradentes/MG): Performance featuring presentations, debates, and workshops on the work of poet and storyteller Cora Coralina, with a documentary production on stories from rural life. At SESC Palladium in BH, Teatro Paschoal Carlos Magno (Juiz de Fora), Yves Alves Cultural Center (Tiradentes), and Municipal Theater of Uberlândia.

Rio Grande do Sul: Multiyear Plan of Cultural Activities 2021-2022 Iberê Foundation (Porto Alegre/RS): Programming of artistic and socio-educational activities at the Iberê Camargo Foundation, integrating the 250th-anniversary celebrations of the city.

Maranhão: I Festival Ayó of Black Music from Maranhão (São Luís/MA): Shows with singers and masters of afro-Brazilian music at the Maranhão House Museum, valuing popular culture.

Tocantins: Pixinguinha and The Eight Batutas: A Journey Through the World of Choro (Palmas/TO): Educational presentations by the musical group Reminiscências focused on Brazilian music, at the Tocantins Historical Museum (Palacinho) and the Memorial Museum Coluna Prestes.

Pernambuco / Paraíba: Armorial Movement 50 Years (Recife/PE and Campina Grande/PB): Circulation of a large-scale exhibition about the Armorial Movement in Recife and Campina Grande, cities where Ariano Suassuna lived, the founder of this movement that values northeastern culture in literature, music, theater, and visual arts.