Paulo Padilha e Bando, a music ensemble from São Paulo, Brazil, is in Huron this week as part of the 2019-2021 Arts Midwest World Fest. Padilha and his band have been introducing area children diverse rhythms of Brazil to school workshops in Huron, Wolsey and Iroquois. The band will perform a public concert on Saturday at 7 pm at the Huron Fine Arts Center. Admission is free but a free will donation is appreciated.
The group performed at Holy Trinity Catholic School on Wednesday morning.
Known for his humorous lyrics and nimble guitar playing, Paulo Padilha has produced a number of albums, including one entitled “In the Dollar Store I Feel Like a Millionaire.” Paulo’s group includes four accomplished musicians: Leonardo Mendes on guitar, and Samba Sam, Dani Fried, and André Magalhãez on percussion.
The Huron Area Arts Council is just beginning an Arts Midwest World Fest partnership with Arts Midwest. During the two-year partnership, four different international ensembles will visit Huron for week-long musical residencies. Paulo Padilha and Bando is the first of the four and will be followed by ensembles from China, Japan, and Israel.
The week of activities with Paulo are made possible, in part, by Arts Midwest, one of six U.S. Regional Arts Organizations in the United States. Arts Midwest partners with program sponsors like The National Endowment for the Arts and 3Mgives to cover a substantial portion of the program cost so that communities throughout the Midwest can experience this exchange and sharing of cultures. Huron was selected as one of only nine Midwestern cities to host the 2019–2021 Arts Midwest World Fest and is the only partner community chosen in South Dakota.
Torrie Allen, president & CEO of Arts Midwest notes, “Arts Midwest’s goal is to make meaningful and lasting impressions on the communities that host this program. We think visits by these wonderful international artists for week-long residencies offer communities special opportunity to experience this music and culture. The residencies provide more opportunities for the ensemble and community members to connect with each other whether through workshops in schools, concerts in the greater community, or through social gatherings. We want this to be a rich experience for the entire community.”
Arts Midwest World Fest presents international music ensembles in the nine-state region it serves with the goal of creating opportunities for cultural exchanges in small and mid-sized Midwestern communities. Arts Midwest’s organization-wide mission is to “promote creativity, nurture cultural leadership, and engage people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives.” Paulo Padilha and Bando’s 2019 tour includes visits to Ironwood, MI; Menomonie, WI; Fairmont, MN; Huron, SD; and Williston, ND. In 2020, the ensemble will return for a tour with stops in Bellefontaine, OH; Rushville, IN; Carbondale, IL; and Ames, IA.
A program of Arts Midwest, the 2019–2021 Arts Midwest World Fest cycle is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, 3Mgives, the Kaufman Family Fund for Israeli Cultural Exchange, and the Japan Foundation through the Performing Arts JAPAN program. Additional support is provided by the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China for Choor, and by the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest, the Israel Lottery Council for Culture & Arts, and Music Port for Hadar Maoz. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Arts Midwest is also generously supported by Illinois Arts Council Agency, Indiana Arts Commission, Iowa Arts Council, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Minnesota State Arts Board, North Dakota Council on the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, South Dakota Arts Council, and Wisconsin Arts Board.