Rio de Janeiro approves cultural performances on trains, subways and ferry boats
Cariocas and tourists who use the Rio de Janeiro transportation systems daily are now able to enjoy cultural performances at the stations and inside the trains, subways and ferry boats. The performances, that help people kill time during the trips, are now approved. That is determined by an act approved by the state legislators, sanctioned by state governor Luiz Fernando Pezão and published in the Official Gazette on September 26th. In the coming days, the Department of Transportation, which regulates the concession holders that control the transport modals, will announce the regulation of the act.
The time approved for the performances will be from 6am to 11pm on weekdays and from 7am to 11pm on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The act states that the performer cannot charge the users of the public transports, who may spontaneously donate during the performances. Based on the wording, it will be up to the concession holders that provide these services to create a registry of interested persons to perform. However, the only purpose of this registry is to organize the time for the performances, though they are not allowed to prevent unregistered people from performing.
Currently, the subway concession holder is the only one keeping a cultural program in their stations, although they do not allow performances inside the wagons. According to MetrôRio, the Palco Carioca project allocates spaces in three stations – Carioca, Siqueira Campos and Maria da Graça – for musical performances on weekdays, from noon to 8pm. Registration to participate in the project is free and may be made online at www.metrorio.com.br/Cultura/
