Last night (Thursday 11 July) I was lucky enough to witness the launch of Brazilica 2013 with the preview of the exhibition Frevo Drop.

At a VIP party in the Metquarter, the exhibition was unveiled: a collection of 30 stunning, illuminated Frevo umbrellas all completely hand-painted in bright carnival colours and curated by arts collective Braziliality.

The exhibition takes its name from Frevo, a Brazilian style of fast-paced carnival music, which, we were proudly told by our South American host, is so distinct to the north east region of Perambuco that it is recognised by UNESCO as a cultural asset to the region. The umbrellas are a traditional part of the Frevo performance, and can be traced back to the 19th century, when rival bands would compete whilst on parade.

The event launched the festival in style, as we were treated to a live samba demonstration from Liverpool Samba School…