How Rio de Janeiro’s ‘Ações Locais’ is dismantling barriers for marginalised producers
Project: empowering and funding marginalised communities through grassroots activity
The Purpose
Conceived by cultural manager and researcher Lia Baron, a professor at the Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), the Ações Locais programme has become a symbol of innovation and inclusivity by enriching the cultural landscape of Rio de Janeiro. Rooted in the ethos of recognising and promoting cultural initiatives, Ações Locais is dedicated to transformative effects in the communities and territories it touches.
The Challenge
Historically, many cultural producers have been marginalised and unable to access mainstream funding opportunities due to systemic barriers. Ações Locais set out to redress this imbalance, striving to navigate and overcome entrenched racial and cultural biases. By democratising the distribution of cultural resources throughout Rio, it aimed to embody inclusivity.
The Solution
At the heart of the program’s operational plan is an active, relentless search for advocates, particularly in underserved areas of the city, to highlight and elevate grassroots cultural efforts. Unique to Ações Locais is its unwavering commitment to orality in the selection process – a deliberate strategy to broaden its reach and embrace a more diverse participant base.
The Impact
The transformative ripples of Ações Locais are palpable. Beyond its structural achievements, it’s created a new narrative for Rio’s cultural tapestry, ensuring that access to culture and knowledge is not a privilege but a right. The soul of the program lies in its target audience. Its strategic guidelines are anchored in supporting initiatives that resonate with priority groups: the Black community, indigenous populations, people with disabilities, women, the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, impoverished sectors, and other marginalised communities.
As Ações Locais forges ahead, it remains committed to a structured allocation strategy. 80% of the funding is channelled into initiatives flourishing in APs 3, 4, and 5 (with Barra da Tijuca being a notable exception), favelas in APs 1 and 2, and the vibrant neighbourhoods of Saúde, Gamboa and Santo Cristo. The intricate proposal breakdown ensures that individual artists, micro-entrepreneurs, informal cultural collectives, and more expansive cultural organisations bask in the program’s support, creating a holistic and inclusive cultural ecosystem for Rio.
