A more careful choice of proposals and a schedule that bets on anchor events, so that everyone wins. This is the new philosophy of the cultural program “365Algarve”, whose 2nd edition was officially launched this Wednesday, October 4th, in Loulé, and has 525 performances in different areas, which will be promoted until the 31st of May by Algarve cultural agents.
«There was a redirection of the programming, which resulted from the experience of the first year, but also from the evaluation of the study that was carried out by the University of Algarve. The idea, in this second year, is to have anchor events, so that we can be more complementary than last year», explained Dália Paulo, commissioner of “365Algarve” to journalists.
The person responsible for managing the program was present at the launching ceremony of the second edition of 365Algarve, which took place yesterday in Loulé. The session was also attended by Ana Mendes Godinho, Secretary of State for Tourism, and Miguel Honrado, his counterpart for Culture, representatives of the two ministries that guarantee the funding of 1,5 million euros for this initiative.
Also present at the session were some of the creators and artists who will give life to the program, namely Madalena Victorino, Bo Mcclellan, João Frade and Viviane.
This time, the presentation of the program was made in a very relaxed tone, without resorting to the usual official speeches, in a format that referred to a talk show, directed by broadcaster Vasco Palmeirim. The master of ceremonies spared no humor to lead the conversation, “fitted” between activities directed at the public.
Cerca do Convento, in the heart of the historic center of Loulé, was the stage for a cocktail party, animated by DJ Christian F, but there was also the opportunity to have a first taste of what the Cataplay project will be, which will show the art of cooking with cataplana with show cookings in various parts of the Algarve, and attend a concert by António Zambujo.
In other words, it can be said that the party has already started and will only end at the end of May. And, as happened in the first edition, it is intended that culture reaches everyone and that everyone who makes culture has the opportunity to show themselves. This is where the new philosophy of “365Algarve” comes in, that of betting on anchor events.
“We don't want to dry things around us. This is a program that wants to polarize what surrounds it and wants to be part of what already exists. It doesn't want to be unique, on the contrary, the objective is that various branches and other programs will be born out of it,” illustrated Dália Paulo.
Thus, a bet was made «on events that last more than two or three days in a row, so that people can choose the Algarve destination and we can have an increase in the number of overnight stays». From the moment they are here, visitors can learn about the other offer that exists.
And suggestions abound. This year's edition of “365Algarve” will feature 525 presentations of music, dance, theater, contemporary circus, cinema, visual arts, literature, gastronomy and heritage entertainment, spread across the 16 municipalities of the region.
The interior of the Algarve has not been forgotten and will even host one of these anchor events, the Festival of Contraband, which Alcoutim will host between 23 and 25 March, a “son” of this Algarve cultural programme.
Also structuring are the LUZA Festival – Algarve International Light Festival, which will bring together national and international plastic artists in Loulé between 24th and 26th November, the Algarve Jazz Gourmet Moments Festival, which will take place between 25th and 27th May, in Lagos, and a new version of Lavrar o Mar, one of the events that stood out in the first edition of “365Algarve”, which will promote regular sessions over the next eight months and special shows at New Year and Easter.
Dália Paulo also highlighted two of the program's novelties, the Ecofest - Music and Environment Festival, which will take place in the middle of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, in Olhão, from 4 to 6 May and the AlGharb.Come initiative, which will animate the border area between Portugal and Spain resorting to fado, flamenco and gastronomy.
Also new are the Feast of the Senses (October and November, Lagos), A Certain Point of View, an event linked to contemporary art (October to May, Faro, São Brás de Alportel and Portimão), the aforementioned CataPlay (December to May, Faro, Vila Real de Santo António, Loulé and Vila do Bispo), the Tavira Performing Arts Festival (January and February, Tavira), the Accordion Festival (February, Loulé, Albufeira and Faro) and the Festival of Mediterranean Cultures – Entre Mares, under the eyes of the traveler Teixeira Gomes (May, Portimão).
Events that are "already consolidated" come from the last edition, such as Video Lucem, which will once again bring cinema to churches in Faro, Lagoa, Tavira, Loulé, Vila Real de Santo António, Aljezur and Silves, between October and May, the Summer Blue Festival – VIII edition (October 17th to 28th, Faro and Lagos), 2nd Algarve International Piano Festival (January to April, Portimão), Jazz in the Cellars (January to April, Silves); FIMA -Algarve International Music Festival (March to May in several places in the Algarve) and the 4th edition of Encontros do Devir “utopian cities” (April and May, Faro, Loulé and Lagos).
In parallel, but in conjunction with “365Algarve”, events take place Álvaro de Campos 2017 Birthday Party (October and November, Tavira), Faro Unveiled (October to May, Faro), Fantastic Moments with Heritage (October to May, Lagos), Bordeira Terra de Accordeão – the work of Hermenegildo Guerreiro (November 4th, Faro), Festival T – Albufeira International Theater Festival (23 to 27 March, Albufeira) and Terra de Maio (25 to 27 May, Castro Marim).
As can be seen, it will not be for lack of cultural events that tourists and residents will stay at home. Moreover, this is the main objective of this cultural program, which was created in 2016 to ensure that the Algarve moves all year round, and not just in high season, and to put an end to «the myth of seasonality», as the Secretary of State for Tourism Ana Mendes Godinho called it.
In yesterday's session, in addition to praising the results of the first edition of the program and stating high expectations for the programming period that has just started, there was even time for vows of eternal love between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Economy, which together finance the “365Algarve”. "I hope this is a marriage for eternity", wished Miguel Honrado.
Dália Paulo did not hide his satisfaction with the promise of matrimonial stability among the program's financiers, but did not fail to warn that, guaranteed, the financing is only available for three years, that is, until the end of the current legislature. Afterwards, it will soon be seen.
«What Miguel Honrado meant is that three years is a short time to consolidate a program of this type, which is not a game and run away: it is to sow seeds and give conditions to people in the area of culture so that they can make this their profession. and allow breeders to be in the Algarve all year round», he explained.
The commissioner of "365Algarve" also highlighted the bet that was made at the level of dissemination of the program online. "The website, this year, will allow to have the information, updated to the minute, of what is happening in a certain area», he said.
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