Culture of Brazil

The great challenge that the country faces is the pressure that development exercises on Brazilian traditional structures, whether they be urban sites of cultural value, archaeological sites, indigenous settlements, or traditional populations, with their unique knowledge and practices. Investments have been made in urban sites of cultural value to preserve them as heritage sites but even if we take into account the efforts made by the Monumental Programmed , it has not yet achieved a management strategy to expedite such areas and ensure their sustainability. In contrast to that, big historical urban sites, some of which have been registered as World Heritage sites, have arrived at a stage where the conservation measures, which are mainly focused on refurbishing buildings, have become exhausted. Such sites call for an urgent managerial strategy not only capable of handling the issue of conservation but most of all, of placing them squarely on the Brazilian Development agenda and thus avoiding their becoming even more marginalized than they are at present. Increased consumption, innovation and entertainment nourish the culture industry in Brazil. However, in keeping with global trends, this sector is liable to become very concentrated. Once again we find, on one hand, an opportunity to reinforce the more dynamic sectors of the cultural industry - audiovisual, music, and design – while on the other hand, there are severe limitations to distribution, access and even to the qualified labor force in sectors with greater technological requirements.