PARTE Portugal Art Encounters presented yesterday at CCB

Directorate-General for the Arts |  Read article >

PARTE Portugal Art Encounters is an annual and ongoing program that supports the internationalization of the Contemporary Art system in Portugal, strengthening the relationship with Tourism to affirm our country as a reference destination in the art circuit. The program, developed by Flamingo Circuit in partnership with Turismo de Portugal, I.P., is supported by the Ministry of Culture through the Directorate-General for the Arts, within the scope of the Portuguese Contemporary Art Network (RPAC).

The presentation session took place yesterday (15 December 2021), at 10:00 am, at Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon, and was attended by the Minister of Culture, Graça Fonseca, the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, the President of Turismo de Portugal, Luís Araújo, and the Director-General of Arts, Américo Rodrigues.

PARTE invites professionals who stand out in the international artistic panorama, who influence the themes, programming and mobility schemes in this system, to get to know a careful selection of what the country has to offer in terms of artistic production, hospitality, cultural and natural heritage.

The program is divided into two consecutive circuits, called PARTE Circuits, which culminate with the international seminar PARTE Summit and the launch of the guide-publication PARTE Book. Each circuit lasts one week and hosts a group of seven guests: six curators, directors of museums, biennials and other major art events; and a critic or journalist from the specialized press. Each year they are curated by hosts invited by the organization and visit sites in the five regions of continental Portugal, with prospects of including island territories in the future.

The circuits integrate reserved and professional activities, which combine networking and knowledge sharing with artists and agents, with moments of leisure and discovery of the excellence of hospitality, gastronomy and regional cultures. In turn, PARTE Summit and PARTE Book are activities dedicated to the production, reflection and sharing of knowledge with local populations and audiences beyond the specialized spheres of art.

The program's main objectives are to expand the network of influence of the art sector and generate new work opportunities for local artists and agents, such as exhibitions, commissions, residencies, and participations in projects of international relevance. At the same time, it supports capacity building and investment in this sector, boosting its attractiveness to potential patrons and investors, both domestic and foreign; and it acts to produce and share knowledge, essential to the enhancement of regional identities and the network of cultural facilities in Portugal.

Credits

Image: © Ruben Costa

Text: Directorate-General for the Arts