Retiro dos Artistas
Retiro dos Artistas is a Brazilian institution that provides shelter and support for elderly artists who face financial hardship, emotional distress, abandonment by family, or homelessness. It is located in the Pechincha neighborhood, in Rio de Janeiro's West Zone. The institution has been home to well-known musicians such as Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, and Robertinho Silva, as well as actors celebrated for their work in film, television, and theater, including Paulo César Pereio and Edyr de Castro.
History
In the early decades of the 20th century, theater and other art forms in Brazil often received support from European entrepreneurs, particularly Portuguese. However, with the outbreak of the First World War, Europe plunged into an economic crisis. Many of the businesspeople who had supported Brazilian and foreign artists living in Brazil were forced to cut expenses. As a result, many artists were left without support.In 1915, a group of theater company owners, led by, initiated the first attempt to organize an institution to aid elderly and unemployed artists who could no longer rely on the informal pensions previously paid by these entrepreneurs. The inspiration came from the, founded in 1903 by Coquelin aîné, president of the Association de secours mutuels des artistes dramatiques, an institution established by Baron Isidore Taylor.