Reciclarte – Espaço Cultural da Grota
- Location
- Niterói, Rio de Janeiro
- Backed in
- 2011
- Covered areas
- Education and Culture
BrazilFoundation 10 anos
In 1995, Marcio Selles, a Brazilian orchestral conductor, gathered a small group of children and adolescents in the favela da Grota Bushmaster, in Niteroi, for school tutoring and to teach them string instruments. The Grota String Orchestra was born then and it has since performed in Portugal, Central America and in New York, when BrazilFoundation invited them to play at the 2006 Annual Gala. The partnership with BrazilFoundation began in 2004 when the Foundation granted them support for the first time enabling the organization to make improvements to the small space used for classes and to purchase new instruments.
Reciclarte was a BrazilFoundation grantee again in 2005 and 2006, and with the renewed support they renovated and expanded what is now the Grota Cultural Space. The new space enabled Reciclarte to broaden its services to the community. The orchestra has recorded two CDs and 18 of its members are teaching in another 9 communities attending more than 300 students. The organization has been designated a “Ponto de Cultura” (Point of Culture)* and works with over 250 students.
* Title of recognition awarded by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture to institutions that have made socio-cultural impacts in their communities.