In an unprecedented action, the 5th edition of the award recognizes 16 female leaders who carry out art and culture projects in 14 cities where Neoenergia is present

The Inspirar 2025 Award, promoted by the Neoenergia Institute, has made history. In an unprecedented initiative, the fifth edition was entirely dedicated to black women in order to value female protagonism in the field of art and culture in various Brazilian regions. Sixteen cisgender and transgender winners were chosen to lead projects in 14 cities in the states of Bahia, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Norte and Pernambuco, as well as the Federal District. In this way, Neoenergia shows the importance of investing in private social capital to maintain its commitment to promoting the development of the communities where it operates. The list of winners is available here. The winners will share a prize of around R$169,000.

This year, popular participation registered a record with almost 58,000 votes. The Inspirar 2025 Award is an initiative of the Neoenergia Institute, sponsored by Neoenergia and in technical partnership with Baluarte, through the National Culture Incentive Law.

Data from this edition, such as 71% of the locations included are in the countryside, proves that, by focusing on decentralizing resources, the Neoenergia Institute has reached regions outside the major urban centers and on the outskirts, where access to opportunities is still quite restricted.

"This engagement is in recognition of female leaders who turn art into a tool for resistance, creation and social change. The exclusive focus on black women reaffirms our purpose of promoting equal opportunities, expanding access to culture. The Neoenergia Institute's role is to contribute to the socio-economic development of these communities, through the internalization of investments, strengthening the country's social impact ecosystem and local identity, especially in remote regions of Brazil," says Renata Chagas, CEO of the Neoenergia Institute.

Awards

The candidates competed in two categories: Women, for leaders who work as individuals (13 prizes of R$10,000 each); and Collectives, for leaders of non-formalized cultural collectives (3 prizes of R$13,000 each).

A cycle of transformation

Inspired by the concept of the Infinite Cycle to Inspire, the prize symbolizes the continuous journey of black women who use art as a tool for creation and social change. The theme translates into a symbolic sequence of acts - inspire, create, resist, realize, empower, multiply, enchant and dream - representing the permanent movement of renewal that emerges from the cultural practices carried out by these women.