Annual Reports 2024

EducArte Annual Report 2024

Letter from the founders

Pablo de Oliveira & Kate Spanos
Photo credit: Heather O’Steen Photography.
2024 was a year of growth, learning, and exciting new ventures for EducArte! We’re happy to share our achievements and milestones with you. This year, we had the honor of presenting some of Brazil’s most renowned artists and some of our personal favorites, including Yamandu Costa, João Bosco, Forróçacana, and Gilsons. These performances not only showcased the rich diversity of Brazilian music but also strengthened our position as a leading center for Brazilian arts and culture in the region. We celebrated EducArte’s first Festa Junina in June, bringing the vibrant traditions of this beloved Brazilian festival to our community. In September, we launched our Saraus de Samba, initiating a monthly series of intimate gatherings that celebrate the soul of Brazilian music and culture. It has been wonderful to bring together so many people to sing and dance together! Our partnerships and collaborations have been instrumental in our success this year. We’re grateful for our partnerships with Levine Music and Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts & Culture, and the Oliveira Lima Library at Catholic University. We also partnered with various local Brazilian nonprofits, social justice groups, and small businesses, including Grupo Mulheres do Brasil, the Personal Care Foundation, and Prime Brazil Food. We feel buoyed by these collaborations and we work together to uplift the Brazilian community here in Maryland and the DC region. Our most significant development this year was the relocation of our programming to Montgomery County, where the majority of Brazilians in the DC region reside, allowing us to serve a broader audience and create new opportunities for cultural exchange. Our programs are now more accessible so that more Brazilian families can participate. Looking ahead, we’re poised to launch our Brazilian Arts Academy in March 2025 in partnership with Montgomery College in Rockville. This initiative represents a major step forward in our mission to promote and preserve Brazilian arts and culture in our region. This weekly cultural arts program designed for Brazilian and Brazilian American youth and families offers music classes taught in Portuguese Heritage Language. The program aims to build students’ self-esteem, creativity, and curiosity, and celebrate ties to their country of origin, Brazil. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our supporters, partners, and the entire EducArte community. Your enthusiasm and dedication continue to inspire us as we work towards building a vibrant, inclusive community around Brazilian music, dance, and culture. Here’s to another year of growth, creativity, and celebration! –Pablo Regis de Oliveira and Kate Spanos, co-founders

Quick facts and numbers

Programming

In 2024, we served approximately 5,200 individuals in our community through concerts, workshops, performances, panel discussions, and more.
  • Concerts: Yamandu Costa, João Bosco, Forróçacana, Gilsons
  • Festivals: Creative Alliance’s Viva Brasil! featuring Marcos Ariel Trio and JP Silva, Festa Junina
  • Series: Saraus de Samba
  • Community engagement workshops: Music from the Sole, Soles of Duende
  • Classes: Brazilian samba percussion and dance classes

Fundraising

In 2024, EducArte raised over $60,000, including about $7,800 in individual contributions, $19,500 in institutional grants, and $32,700 in governmental grants. We received grants from the following institutions: Cafritz Foundation, Center for Cultural Vibrancy, Dimick Foundation, Maryland Humanities, Maryland State Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and the University of Maryland’s Do Good Institute.

2024 highlight reel

Financial report

In 2024, we paid about $47,000 to artists to perform and teach in our programs. About 70% of expenses went to program-related costs and 30% went to general operations. 2024 Expense breakdown

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