Street basketball courts are invaluable to communities, providing a space for kids and adults to stay connected and get active. Overheated real estate markets, however, mean those spaces and their culture are under threat from developers looking to nab every 420 m2 rectangle. A campaign working to protect courts in Brazil found a loophole in the country's laws. According to Brazilian law 25/1937, "A place of public interest with artistic value is considered public heritage and cannot be demolished."
So, Quadras Indestrutiveis — or Unbreakable Courts — started reaching out to communities. Developed by Africa DDB, the campaign asks people to explain why a court is of value to their community and to select an artist who's a good fit for the local culture. The artist paints the court, with a sponsorship by Budweiser covering all costs.
To spread the word without raising hackles of officials who might want to close that legal loophole, Quadras Indestrutiveis worked with rapper Rincon Sapiência, who embedded instructions for nominating street courts into one of his music videos. Around 16 courts are now in the process of working with artists to be transformed into protected pieces of community property. The first one to be completed is in São Paulo's Mooca district.
