The space once occupied by the Bhering Factory, a traditional chocolate factory that operated in the Rio de Janeiro Port Region in the 1920s-1960s, was abandoned until 2005, when a group of artists occupied the locale.
The machinery once used for producing sweets and the old factory installations were maintained and serve as inspiration for the work of more than 50 artists. The six-story building is rented to studios and artisans dedicated to sculpture, painting, literature, photography, video, performance, installation, restauration, design, multimedia design, and other arts.
Every first Saturday of the month, Bhering Factory presents the Internal Circuit Project, with workshops open to the public. The movement gained recognition in 2011, when it was integrated into the ArtRio Circuit, and attracted a greater public to the shops and workshops. Up until Rio City Hall declared the space a heritage site in 2012, the artists were threatened with eviction – and received notification to vacate the Factory.