Democratization of culture through the occupation of public space during the first peronism: the case of Amphitheater Martín Fierro from La Plata and the participation of Permanent Ballet from the Teatro Argentino in it

Abstract

As part of the policies of “welfare democratization” implemented by the government during the first Peronism (1946-1955), the use of public space makes its appearance through the possibility of setting up existing places and creating new ones. Considering the cultural project of this government, we analyze the consequences of these policies in dance, looking into the ballet specifically, examining the characteristics of this art field in relation to the artistic and intellectual field against the social field of the time.
In this case, we study the inauguration of the amphitheater Martin Fierro in La Plata and the participation of the Permanent Ballet from the Teatro Argentino of La Plata in it. We analyze if such participation meant an approach from ballet to “popular” social sectors, which could be possible due to the massiveness of the shows, meaning that a great amount and perhaps a diverse public watched these shows. In this case, the achievement of making more massive a considered elite art, could have been a consequence of the democratization of culture through the use of urban public space.