Brazilian-American Cultural Institute photographs

The Brazilian-American Cultural Institute (BACI) was a non-profit organization established to promote awareness in the United States about the music, art, and culture of Brazil. It had a large art gallery, recital and lecture space, and an 8,000 volume bilingual library. BACI offered courses at all levels in Portuguese throughout its entire existence, and it also offered lessons in the samba and guitar. Beyond these daily and weekly activities, BACI hosted hundreds of visiting artists, scholars and musicians, as well as organized educational trips to Brazil. BACI also produced various publications over the years including Portuguese textbooks. The majority of the institute’s history unfolded under the leadership of Dr. José Neistein, who was appointed by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1970 to promote Brazilian Culture in the U.S. He served as the director of the institute until it closed in early 2008. Although the institute generated income from its classes and art sales, it was forced to close when the government of Brazil discontinued funding.