Brazilian Cultural Centre opens in Kensington

Victoria’s first Brazilian Cultural Centre has opened in Kensington, creating a new home for Melbourne’s Brazilian community to connect, celebrate culture and access support services.

Located at 41 Stubbs St, the centre was officially launched with an open day on June 27 featuring live Brazilian music, food and activities for all ages.

The new facility includes community service rooms offering Portuguese-language support for mental health, legal advice and consular matters, as well as a small library featuring works by Brazilian and Australian authors.

It also includes an auditorium designed to host art exhibitions, film screenings and other cultural events showcasing Brazilian creativity across music, dance, literature, theatre, visual art and more.

The centre is modelled on a successful pilot program in Sydney and aims to provide a dedicated space where Brazilians living in Melbourne can maintain cultural connections while sharing their traditions with the wider community.

Future programming is expected to include yoga, Brazilian dance and Portuguese language classes for residents of Kensington and surrounding suburbs.

According to 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data cited by the centre, Melbourne is home to 5427 Brazilian-born residents, making it the third-largest Brazilian-born population in Australia after the Gold Coast and Sydney. Australia is home to more than 70,000 people of Brazilian nationality.

The centre’s organisers expect that number to have grown in recent years, particularly with the return of international students to Australia after 2022.

The opening marks a significant milestone for Melbourne’s Brazilian community and adds another layer to Kensington’s growing cultural and community life.

The centre is open weekdays 9am-5pm •