Introduction
These pages contain a comprehensive mapping of the cultural field in Brazil made by local experts meant to promoted cultural exchange. If you want add something, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Cultural exchange Brazil - The Netherlands
The purpose of this mapping is to provide a comprehensive overview of the Brazilian cultural infrastructure per discipline. Each discipline contains recommendations for intensifying a cultural exchange between Brazil and the Netherlands. This mapping was produced to realize the ambitions of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science within the framework of strategic international cultural policy of the Dutch cultural funds and institutions, and the SICA Dutch Centre for International Cultural Activities.
The mapping consists of a detailed account of the Brazilian cultural sector, divided into eleven disciplines:
* Architecture
* Classical music
* Contemporary Arts
* Dance
* Design
* E-Culture
* Fashion
* Heritage
* Literature
* Popular music
* Theatre
The selection of these disciplines was initially based on SICA’s Quick Scan Brazil (2006). After the Quick Scan, various cultural funds and institutions were asked if they would appreciate a mapping of their particular disciplines in Brazil. With the exception of the Netherlands Film Fund/Holland Film all of the institutions responded positively.
However, Brazil does not share the strict demarcation of disciplines that is applied to the Netherlands. Therefore, a comparison between the two structures is not easily made. The cultural landscape in Brazil is nowhere near as diverse as the cultural landscape in the Netherlands with its different types of funding, sector institutes, interest groups etc.
This difference becomes clearly visible in heritage, which is more broadly interpreted in Brazil than in the Netherlands. Tasks that in the Netherlands ‘logically’ accrue to cultural organizations, such as the management of cultural heritage, may be allocated to very different institutions in Brazil.
In addition to the eleven sub-mappings one overall mapping was produced. In this overall mapping you will find the descriptions of the general Brazilian cultural structures, supplemented by descriptions of the main Brazilian cultural organizations, relevant topical cultural themes, relevant international exchange activities and other information.
the mappings
Each mapping conveys great enthusiasm and shows a deep interest in enriching cultural relations. The primary emphasis in all the mappings is on artistic exchange on the basis of equality. Issues such as finance are not mentioned until later. It should be noted that in some mappings, such as fashion and architecture, there is a strong focus on educational exchange.
The sub-mappings were written by eleven experts who all live in Brazil. The advantage of working with Brazilian experts rather than Dutch experts with experience in Brazil is that it allowed for an inside look in the Brazilian cultural infrastructure. Furthermore, in future cultural exchanges, these Brazilian experts can function as direct links between Brazil and the Netherlands.
The selection of these experts was made in consultation with the various organizations involved in this mapping. Suggestions for candidates were put forward by SICA, the cultural funds and sector institutes, the Dutch embassy and consulates in Brazil, and foreign cultural institutes in Brazil such as the British Council and the Goethe Institute. So as to ensure regional diversity, the experts come from different regions The final selection was then made by SICA in close consultation with the cultural funds and institutions. The mapping represents this diverse selection of experts in both form and style although the ultimate structure and details of the various sub-mappings was established after consultation with the funds and cultural institutions.
SICA hopes that this mapping forms the start of a new process of cultural exchange between Brazil and the Netherlands. Although the mappings show that it is difficult to formulate a collective strategy for the enrichment of cultural relations, the interest and enthusiasm conveyed in these mappings should hopefully form the bedrock for exchange.
Every discipline has its own dynamic. With a constantly moving Brazilian cultural society, a mapping such as this should not be considered as a static manual. To be representative, constant updates are required. With the Cultural Mapping of Brazil SICA hopes to provide a promising opening, a firm anchor and a source of inspiration for cultural relations in the future
