On 15 October, the Embassy of Brazil in London hosted a reception to celebrate the beginning of a historic year of cultural exchange between the two countries, marking 200 years of collaboration. The event was held in partnership with the Instituto Guimarães Rosa, the British Council and Frieze, and highlighted this year’s edition of Breeze.
Figures from the cultural sector, creative industries and the diplomatic community attended the event, including MP Chris Elmore; Minister Chris Bryant, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade; Ambassador Marco Antonio Nakata, Director of the Instituto Guimarães Rosa; Paul Thompson, Chair of the British Council; Eva Langret, Director of EMEA, Frieze; and Leonie Mir, Head of VIP, Frieze.
“UK/Brazil Season of Culture 2025–26 marks the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Brazil and the United Kingdom, a celebration of our friendship and history through the lens of art. It is an opportunity for Brazilian and British audiences to have a glimpse of the beating creative heart of our countries”, said Antonio Patriota, Ambassador of Brazil to the United Kingdom.
Ambassador Marco Antonio Nakata added that the cultural year “was carefully designed to portray the cultural closeness of our two peoples and, at the same time, to highlight the cultural particularities of Brazilian and British society in order to promote greater integration through knowledge of each other’s culture”.
The celebration of the two nations’ union could not have featured a more fitting menu than that created by London-based chef Ixta Belfrage, author of the recently released book FUSÃO, inspired by her travels across Northern Brazil, the Northeast and Minas Gerais. During the event, she presented a contemporary interpretation of Brazilian cuisine, drawing on her own heritage. The soundtrack to the evening was provided by the DJ duo SPF2000, formed by Rafa Perazza and Sergio Takahata.
Season of Culture
Now officially launched, the UK/Brazil Season of Culture will run until June 2026, featuring a diverse programme of more than 100 events across both countries. The projects shine a light on pressing issues such as the climate emergency, diversity, and joy as a collective force.
One of the highlights of the cultural year is the 2025 edition of Breeze, celebrated during the event. The annual programme is dedicated to promoting Brazilian contemporary art on the international stage, including exhibitions, creative exchanges, public programmes and publications resulting from interdisciplinary collaboration.
This year, Breeze also features the Curator Travel Grant, an initiative by the Instituto Guimarães Rosa and the British Council, in partnership with Frieze. The grant selected five Brazilian curators to take part in an immersive experience in London during Frieze London & Frieze Masters (15–19 October).The selected curators – Amanda Bonan Gusmão Porto (Rio Museum of Art), Daniele Queiroz Santos (Moreira Salles Institute), Fernanda Albuquerque (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul), Guilherme Giufrida (MASP), and Lorraine Mendes (Pinacoteca of São Paulo) – followed a schedule of visits, debates, and meetings with major institutions in the United Kingdom.