The Amazonian Creative Corridor aims to attract international funding to strengthen technical and artistic training. The project involves cultural institutions from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Austria, and Portugal, and seeks to integrate the Amazonas Opera Festival and the region’s artistic production into the Amazon’s environmental agenda.

The Amazonian Creative Corridor aims to attract international funding to strengthen technical and artistic training. The project involves cultural institutions from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Austria, and Portugal, and seeks to integrate the Amazonas Opera Festival and the region’s artistic production into the Amazon’s environmental agenda.

A new international cooperation project in the cultural sector was presented on Wednesday, 16 April, at the Palace of Justice in downtown Manaus, as part of a new stage of the Amazonas Opera Festival (FAO): the Amazonian Creative Corridor. This initiative combines culture, sustainable development, and international collaboration in support of the creative economy in the Amazon region.

The event was made possible through resources from the Rouanet Law and was sponsored by Bradesco, with support from Innova and Swarovski, and organised by the Festival Fund in partnership with the State Government of Amazonas, through its Secretariat of Culture and Creative Economy.

The initiative seeks to secure international funding to enhance the technical and artistic training of all institutions involved in the corridor, in addition to strengthening public policy and promoting professional mobility among the partner countries.

The Secretary for Culture and Creative Economy, Caio André, described the event as a “remarkable action” for the creative economy of Amazonas. “The Creative Corridor will be a great opportunity to spread culture, promote the exchange of experiences and, above all, to support and encourage artists and institutions. I am confident it will leave a significant legacy for our culture and, in particular, for the creative economy of our state,” he emphasised.

The project brings together cultural institutions from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Austria, and Portugal, and aims to integrate the FAO and the artistic production of the region into the environmental agenda of the Amazon.

“The Creative Corridor will unite the two largest opera festivals in the country – Manaus and Belém – and take this experience even further, serving as an example of a sustainable and structured project,” explained Flávia Furtado, Executive Director of the Amazonas Opera Festival. She added that 70% of the artistic ensembles and 80% of the technical staff of the festival come from Amazonas. “It is a project made by and for the people of Amazonas. Entire generations have worked in the theatre. This needs to be shared,” she stressed.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. with the official opening and the signing of agreements. This will be followed by the signing of a cooperation agreement with Cascais Opera, and then with the Munay Group.

Established in 1997, the FAO has become the largest opera festival in Latin America and has played a central role in strengthening the creative economy in Manaus. In addition to supporting the training of artistic ensembles, the event also boosts sectors such as hospitality and gastronomy, particularly around the historic and majestic Teatro Amazonas.

The Amazonian Creative Corridor initiative foresees that while the festival takes place in the first half of the year, the second half will be dedicated to technical training, educational initiatives in schools, and coordination with public institutions. “We will seek funding lines focused on culture and the environment to benefit cities in the Amazon region,” said Flávia Furtado.

As part of the FAO’s internationalisation strategy, the Carlos Gomes Prize was also launched, integrated into the Cascais Singing Competition in Portugal. The award seeks to raise the festival’s profile in Europe and highlight Brazil’s historical importance in the world’s operatic tradition.