In a visit to PUCRS, a consultant to the British Council in Brazil talked about arts and cultural initiatives
On February 8th, PUCRS was visited by Cristina Bokel Becker, Arts & Cultural Management Consultant to the British Council in Brazil. At the invitation of José Luis Ferraro, Director of Community Affairs of the Office of the Vice President for Extension and Community Affairs (PROEX), Cristina participated in a conversation on the institution’s cultural initiatives and investment plans of the British Council. The meeting was also attended by Heloísa Delgado, Dean of the Office of International and Institutional Affairs (AAII).
Cristina spoke about the three arms of the arts programs of the British Council in Brazil: capacity building and training, art as an agent to foster social transformation, and promotion of a cooperation network through different entities and organizations. Cristina was introduced to the Institute of Culture and the Culture Street Project, which is the first physical accomplishment of the remodeled Campus and part of the PUCRS 360° transformation movement. “These structures represent an important moment in the discussion on the subject at the University”, says Ferraro.
During the meeting, Cristina talked about the “Pontes” Program, jointly created by Oi Futuro and the British Council with the aim of providing new alternatives to foster Brazilian festivals and promote the artistic production of the United Kingdom in Brazil. In the program, whose call for proposals is open until February 28th, Brazilian festivals are selected to receive financial support upon their commitment to include British creators in the program and promote cultural exchange, contributing to the building of international networks in Arts and to the exchange of experiences.
The visitor emphasized the importance of valuing culture through education, and presented a draft program aiming to provide training and capacity building to foster good practices in education. Many of the initiatives and interests mentioned by the consultant are closely related to PUCRS ongoing work to promote education and access to culture. Among the suggestions was using the Science and Technology Museum as an innovative study environment. The initiative focuses on the use of non-formal educational spaces, encouraging public and private school teachers to plan museum visits with the support of a specialized team in the preparation of content to be taught during the official visit.
About Cristina Bokel Becker
Cristina Bokel Becker worked in Transform, a cultural and artistic cooperation program between Brazil and the United Kingdom, which took place from 2012 to 2016 as part of the Olympic legacy. The project encompassed seven areas: visual arts & museums; film; dance; creative economy; literature; music and drama. She has worked in the fields of communication and marketing, fundraising and business in several companies, including the areas of social responsibility and sustainable mobility.
