BRAZIL: Streetart Belo Horizonte - CURA Festial and Urban Art in Minas Gerais

Belo Horizonte is a major city in southeastern Brazil and the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, with a population of around 2.5 million inhabitants. Founded in 1897 as one of the first planned cities in Brazil, it was built to replace the former colonial capital Ouro Preto and reflects early modern urban planning with its wide avenues and geometric street layout. The city is widely recognized for its architectural heritage, especially the modernist works of Oscar Niemeyer, with the iconic Pampulha Modern Ensemble standing out as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Notable attractions include the historic Praça da Liberdade, surrounded by museums and cultural institutions, the lively Mercado Central de Belo Horizonte, famous for regional food and crafts, and the Mineirão Stadium, one of Brazil’s most iconic football venues. In recent years, Belo Horizonte has also become one of Brazil’s most important hubs for streetart and graffiti, with large-scale murals and urban interventions transforming entire neighborhoods into open-air galleries. A key highlight of this scene is the annual festival CIRCUITO URBANO DE ARTE or in short CURA, which invites local and international artists to create monumental murals across the city, turning building façades into powerful visual statements. The first edition took place in 2017; since then, dozens of murals have been created during the various editions, primarily in the city center and along the famous Rua Sapucaí, and later also at Praça Raul Soares, also known as “Raulzona”. Meanwhile it is one of the most important urban art events in the country. The festival has also placed greater emphasis on curatorial themes, such as all-female lineups or interdisciplinary programs combining music, performance, and film. The following photos were photographed by world traveller CHRIS AMES.

GUD ASSIS

Artist: GUD ASSIS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gud.assis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanpageGudAssis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gudassis

„Gatinhos do Parque“ – LAX AIALA

Artist: LAX AIALA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laxaiala

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lax_aiala

Culture Space: PARQUE 752

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parque752oficial

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/parque752

Street Cat Care: S.O.S. GATINHOS DO PARQUE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sosgatinhosdoparque

Theatro Espanca – January 2025 – FAMÍLIA DE RUA – FHERO

Artist: FHERO – FERNANDO DOS SANTOS

Website: https://fhero.com.br

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fheropdf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fhero.pdfcrew

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fheroexpo97

OpenSea: https://opensea.io/fheropdfcrew

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fhero97

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/fhero97

Urban Culture Organization: FAMÍLIA DE RUA

Website: https://www.associacaofamiliaderua.com.br

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/familiadrua

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/familia_de_rua

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@familiaderua

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/familiaderua

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/FamiliadeRua

Entrance – Theatro Espanca

Located in the heart of Belo Horizonte, the TEATRO ESPANCA has hosted meetings, rehearsals, workshops, debates, shows, performances, concerts, experimental projects, soirées, fairs, and creative and collective activities by artists and cultural groups from the city and the country since October 2010.