Casa Amarela & Inside Out
The non-profit Can Art Change the World? brings continuity to JR’s projects by creating and supporting autonomous spaces where communities can create, connect and learn together. One of the main initiatives is Casa Amarela, a community center at the top of the favela Morro da Providência in Brazil that offers art, education and entrepreneurship programming all year round. Since its founding by JR and Brazilian photographer Maurício Hora in 2009, the programs have grown; it now receives an average of 150 participants, children, teenagers and women, per week.
Casa Amarela has five weekly programs that promote literacy, English language learning, career training and artistic expression. More generally, the Casa offers activities for exploring ethno-racial identity, such as afro dance, Racial Literacy and Critical Consciousness, as well as boxing, skateboarding and hip hop. Educators at the center also teach lessons on mental health, sexual health, and socio-emotional relationships.
Over the past few years, Casa Amarela has supported 40 women in the community in creating their own businesses. Also, in 2023, the Casa served more than 1,200 meals, helping its students stay full and healthy. This past year, Casa Amarela’s Orquestra Luna, the first classical music orchestra of the favela, performed at four recitals at the Unirio, Teatro Municipal, Artrio, and Muchad Museum. It also had 22 teenagers graduate from the Brooklyn Museum Exchange program, which facilitates discussions of art in relation to socio-political issues and helps students improve their English skills through intercultural interaction.
As the Casa’s programming expands, so do its facilities to accommodate the needs and learning of the community. This year, the Casa opened the Santo Skatepark, the first skatepark in the favela. It also established a computer lab, which helps children improve their typing skills and conduct research projects.
ph cover: Casa Amarela, Morro da Providência, Brazil, November 2022, Photo: Douglas Dobby
Casa Amarela & Inside Out
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