Pracatum

Origin

Salvador, BA

Years Active

1994

Genres

percussive music, afro-brazilian music, bahian music

Instruments

percussion, timbal

Biography

Pracatum is the name by which the Pracatum Social Action Association (APAS) is known, a non-profit social organization founded in 1994 in Candeal Pequeno de Brotas, in Salvador, Bahia. Conceived by the renowned artist Carlinhos Brown, Pracatum was born out of the need to professionalize the community and the search for alternatives to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants, using music as a primary tool for socioeconomic and cultural transformation. The initiative aims to value local knowledge and demands, sharing its operational model with other entities and territories.

Pracatum's work is structured around three main axes: education, culture, and community development. Through programs such as "Pracatum – School of Music and Technologies" and "Tá Rebocado," the association offers technical and qualification courses in the production chain of music and culture, in addition to promoting community development. The School of Music, inaugurated in 1999, has already trained thousands of musicians and professionals, qualifying them in various cultural niches, from the practical learning of instruments to the study of musical theories and new technologies. The institution also stands out for its rhythmic research laboratory, which explores new sonorities and connections with Afro-Brazilian percussive music, using instruments invented or modified within the neighborhood itself.

Throughout its trajectory, Pracatum has been recognized with several awards, such as the UNESCO award in the Youth category and the Ashoka-McKinsey Social Entrepreneur Award, both in 2002. The association also establishes partnerships with government bodies, educational institutions, companies, and international organizations to strengthen its actions. Pracatum's work in Candeal Pequeno is considered a reference in community development and social transformation through art, inspiring projects in other Latin American countries. Carlinhos Brown, one of the exponents of Bahian music, is the driving force behind this initiative that rescues Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage and boosts the creative potential of his community.