Favela chic: Artists give slums a brighter future

Rio de Janeiro – An art-driven renewal programme is giving some of the city’s most notorious favelas a colourful makeover. The Favela Painting project by Dutch artists Haas & Hahn is helping to improve slums such as Vila Cruzeiro and O Morro by covering the façades of buildings with a rainbow of colours.

‘These works of art can make a colourful difference to the lives of local people, the community and the city of Rio,’ says Dre Urhahn, a favela project painter. ‘It has the potential to act as a catalyst for social renewal and change.’

In addition, many of the painters themselves have been selected from the local communities and trained through apprenticeship programmes, creating a sustained pool of skills locally.

From favelas to urban villages, individuals in local communities are increasingly seeking guidance from brands as they try to navigate the Turbulent Teens period. What better time for brands to take a stand and behave as civic leaders?