Chocolate and Brazilian culture will take over Lisbon for three days in October. The Brasil Origem Week, returning after last year's success, will be held at the Cordoaria Nacional alongside the Chocolat Festival. The free event will feature tastings, workshops, and debates highlighting the quality and diversity of Brazilian products from October 9th to 11th. Organizer Marco Lessa noted that the previous edition exceeded expectations with over 15,000 attendees, reinforcing the goal of connecting Brazilian producers with the Portuguese public.
The cultural strategy of Inês de Medeiros' municipality was approved this Friday. The winning city will be announced on December 9th. Guarda, Leiria, and Setúbal are also competing.
An opinion piece by the president of the Portuguese Association of Publishers and Booksellers (APEL) regarding the necessity of a national strategy for literature and literacy.
The march took place between the Mercado do Forno do Tijolo and Largo do Intendente Pina Manique, as part of the Todos festival, which is supported by the Lisbon City Council.
The Madeira Festival is back in Lisbon to celebrate tradition and cultural identity. This year's edition has even greater significance, as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of regional autonomy.
Setúbal's bid for Portuguese Capital of Culture is centred on the promotion of local memory and history. However, the strategy aims to go beyond the year 2028 and leave a legacy.
António José Seguro continues the Belém Book Fair, which is taking place for the 9th consecutive year in the gardens of the Belém Palace, an initiative of the Presidency of the Republic. Between the 17th and 20th of this month, the event will celebrate books while providing various cultural and entertainment moments. This edition features 70 participants representing 346 publishing brands across 123 stalls. In addition to book sales, there will be debates, launches, educational games, and presentations, with dedicated areas for children and young people, a terrace, and a food court. The programme also includes initiatives from participating publishers and bookstores, with nearly 400 authors signing books. There will also be a musical programme. On the first day, a tribute to António Lobo Antunes will take place with a concert featuring Katia Guerreiro and Vitorino Salomé on the Main Stage, performing songs by the writer. On Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th, the Main Stage will host concerts by ÁTOA and NAPA. Also on Saturday, the Cascata Stage will host the recital 'Poemas de Sábado, Véspera de Outono', with readings by Raquel Marinho and piano by Nicholas McNair. Sunday the 20th begins with the Changing of the Guard at 11:00 am at Praça Afonso de Albuquerque. In the late afternoon, the Orquestra Sem Fronteiras, conducted by Martim Sousa Tavares, will pay tribute to Álvaro Cassuto. In the evening, GNR will take to the Main Stage with 'Últimas Danças de Verão', the concert that closes the edition. Throughout the four days, the Teixos Stage will provide space for new artists with ten informal performances at lunchtime or in the late afternoon. Admission, via the Presidency of the Republic Museum Shop or the Tropical Botanical Garden, is free. Organised in collaboration with the Portuguese Association of Publishers and Booksellers (APEL) and with BLX - Lisbon Libraries as a programming partner, the Fair is open from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm on the 17th, and from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm on the 18th, 19th, and 20th.
The Belém Cultural Centre presents a varied programme, featuring a show inspired by the work of Manuel António Pina, an interactive installation, among many other projects.
The Directorate-General for the Arts (DGArtes) will support 74 projects with approximately 1.9 million euros under the Visual Arts Project Support competition, with 60 projects left without funding due to budget constraints. According to the final decision released on 9 September, the 2025 competition received 232 applications, with 74 selected for funding. Of the 96 applications that did not receive support, 60 were rejected because the available budget was exhausted, while 36 failed to meet the minimum 60% score requirement. Additionally, 62 applications were excluded for non-compliance with the competition rules. The supported projects span various disciplines, including visual arts, new media, photography, architecture, and design, distributed across several regions of Portugal.
Seven months after taking office, the Belgian programmer speaks bluntly about power networks, gender parity, invisible Portuguese artists in Europe, and the weight of the transition following Aida Tavares.
Pragmatic, the new director of the Belém Cultural Centre for the performing arts has two very concrete goals: to diversify audiences and bring Lisbon closer to the centre of Europe.
Following the withdrawal of several Portuguese artists in protest against the participation of Jerry Seinfeld, a Jewish comedian who identifies as pro-Israel, the organisers of the new comedy festival considered cancelling the event, which is scheduled for the end of October. Now, they are considering moving forward with potential replacements for the names that left the line-up.
The event features the presentation of the film “Her Story”, one of the most awarded Asian films of 2025. The productions address various perspectives of Chinese society and culture.
At 50 years old, the Avante! Festival brings together supporters who never miss an edition and newcomers — or almost. The blockade of Cuba led the secretary-general to ask the Government for more solidarity.
Actress Inês Aires Pereira announced she will not participate in the festival, expressing solidarity with Palestine and refusing to “normalise a genocide”. Jerry Seinfeld, one of the guests, defends Israel, refers to Palestine as non-existent, and compares pro-Palestinian movements to the Ku Klux Klan.
PÚBLICO Brasil, in partnership with the Casa da América Latina, is offering five double-entry kits, plus a book, for the 9th Latin American Market, taking place on September 11, 12, and 13 in Estoril.
The next European Capital of Culture has launched two calls for proposals to support communities. The goal is to contribute to “the revitalisation of the territories” and strengthen “the sense of belonging”, says the manager.
Out of 216 applications for artistic programming support, 71 will receive 1.9 million euros in funding. According to the final decision released by the Directorate-General for the Arts (DGArtes) on Monday, August 31, 110 projects were rejected not for failing to meet criteria, but because the total available budget was exhausted. Another 35 projects were excluded: seven for failing to reach the minimum 60% score and 28 due to non-compliance. The selected projects cover various disciplines, including music, theatre, dance, street arts, and circus, and are distributed across all regions of Portugal. The funding, which ranges from 15,000 to 55,000 euros per project, must be executed by February 2028 and supports activities such as residencies, co-productions, and artistic creation. The initiative aims to decentralise cultural activity and encourage innovation through the use of contemporary technologies.
Portugal is once again using music and cultural festivals as a strategic tool to boost its tourism profile and attract more visitors from the Brazilian market.
