France-Brazil Cultural Season 2025-2026: Diplomacy, Youth Forums, and Lasting Partnerships
The first phase of the France-Brazil Cultural Season wrapped up in São Paulo with a performance of Les Indes Galantes at the Teatro Municipal. Anne Louyot, a French diplomat, expressed her pleasure with the engagement from Brazilian collaborators. This season highlighted themes such as climate change, democracy, human rights, cultural diversity, and ties with Africa, appealing to the younger Brazilian audience. Notable achievements include the Youth and Democracy Forum, which was initiated in Brasília in August 2025, featuring 40 participants from Brazil and 40 from France. Ongoing initiatives comprise the Amazon Connections Forum in Belém and the Dialogue with Africa forum in Salvador, inaugurated by President Emmanuel Macron alongside Minister Margareth Menezes. This effort supports President Lula's advocacy for multilateralism and was a joint endeavor by the French and Brazilian governments.
Key facts
- The France-Brazil Cultural Season 2025-2026 is a bilateral government initiative.
- A key event was the Youth and Democracy Forum in Brasília in August 2025, involving 80 young activists.
- The Amazon Connections Forum in Belém involved scientists from French Guiana and the Museu Goeldi.
- The Dialogue with Africa forum in Salvador was opened by President Emmanuel Macron and Minister Margareth Menezes.
- Festival partnerships, like between Festival Psica 2025 and Tropiques Atrium in Martinique, are set to continue.
- French diplomat Anne Louyot, former director of France's Fund for Cultural Diversity, led the initiative.
- The season focused on climate, democracy, human rights, cultural diversity, and Africa relations.
- Future editions of forums are planned for 2026, pending Brazilian institutional support.
Entities
Artists
- Jean Philippe Rameau
- Louis Fuzelier
- Borispercus
- Zara Fournier
- Lylly Houngnihin
- Glória dos Santos
- Christian-Jack Heymès
- Anna Atkins
- Elizabeth B. Brownell
- Eslanda Cardozo Goode Robeson
- Annette Messager
- Angèle Etoundi Essamba
- Hiromix
- Claudia Andujar
- Maureen Bisilliat
- Gretta Sarfaty
- Vilma Slomp
- Claudia Jaguaribe
- Anna Mariani
- Stefania Bril
- Alberto Henschel
- Juca Rosa
Institutions
- Ministério da Europa e dos Assuntos Exteriores (MEAE)
- Institut Français
- Instituto Guimarães Rosa
- Teatro Municipal de São Paulo
- Coletivo Mawê
- Universidade Afrolatinas
- Convergências
- CUFA (Central Única das Favelas)
- Festival Psica 2025
- Tropiques Atrium
- Centro Franco-Brasileiro da Biodiversidade Amazônica (CFBBA)
- Museu Goeldi
- Ilê Asipá
- 10x10 Photobooks
- Biblioteca de Fotografia do IMS
- Getty Research Institute
- Museo Reina Sofía
- Rijksmuseum
- New York Public Library
- Paris Photo
- Livraria da Travessa
- Instituto Hercule Florence
- Documenta Pantanal
- Biblioteca Brasiliana Guita e José Mindlin (BBM-USP)
- Centro Maria Antônia da USP
- Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)
- Arte!Brasileiros
- arte!✱
Locations
- France
- Brazil
- São Paulo
- Brasília
- Belém
- Salvador
- Bahia
- Martinique
- Fort-de-France
- Benin
- Cotonou
- Saint-Ouen
- Paris
- Porto Feliz
- Mato Grosso
- Grão-Pará
- Guiana Francesa
- Amazônia
- Pantanal
- Gran Chaco
- Argentina
- Paraguay
- La Puntana
- Algarve
- Portugal
- Aveiro
- Santiago
- Los Angeles
- Madrid
- Amsterdam
- New York
- Moscow
- Russia