“What impressed me, or exceeded my expectations, is the enthusiasm surrounding the Braga25 program, translated into visitor numbers and events,” stated Luís Fernandes, the coordinator of the artistic program, during an interview.
The recently released figures reveal the intense pace of the first six months, showing 1,069 artistic activities, including 312 shows, 70 exhibitions, and 324 community mediation and participation activities.
A total of 728,656 spectators attended, with the majority visiting exhibitions (614,795), followed by music (52,948) and theater (9,254).
Highlights noted by the organizer included the visit from Tiago Rodrigues, director of the Avignon theater festival, with his new play “No Yogurt for the Dead,” the debut of Teatro Nacional de São Carlos with “a medium-scale opera,” and the centenary celebration of Carlos Paredes with Mário Laginha.
The majority of the artistic programming involved local creators, with 54% of participating professionals being locals, 30% national artists, and 16% international guests.
Additionally, over half of the scheduled activities included accessibility measures, incorporating adapted sessions and other responses.
“For me, it is evident that these types of events have a capacity-building profile, fostering the vitality of the local artistic community. It’s achieved not only by bringing in renowned artists who can inspire and empower but also by collaborating with people here, creating foundations for future development. A significant part of Braga’25’s work has a community dimension,” he stated.
Fernandes highlighted that a program like ‘Desejar’ was constructed in dialogue with “different communities in Braga — immigrants, LGBTQIA+ community, youth, teenagers,” among others, enhancing the regular programming of venues such as Theatro Circo and Gnration with “other arguments.”
The inclusion of architecture and public space in the programming, less highlighted previously, and the continuity of the city’s regular cycles and projects added depth to the Capital, while the Todo-o-Terreno program supported ten independent programming initiatives, signaling the “cultural vitality of a city.”
“These are the most relevant ideas that can emerge from a Capital. It opens the way for more open, inclusive, participatory cultural policies, slightly diminishing the weight usually attributed to municipal institutions,” he added.
The “curiosity and interest” of the public and community involvement surprised Luís Fernandes, noting that regardless of the quality or relevance of the proposals, “it’s not always possible to connect with the public.”
“Nowadays, audiences generally tend to seek what is more familiar to them, showing less curiosity for the new because there are many ways to spend time today, often involving staying at home. This challenge that cultural programmers face daily posed some limitations on expectations. But [the doubts] entirely dissipated,” he commented.
In the latter half of the year, “there will be no slow-down; we will maintain the high standard,” featuring the July is Jazz festival, with performances such as trumpeter Peter Evans alongside the Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos, and a project combining guitarist Ava Mendoza and drummer Brad Jones with the Braga quartet Forward.
The Extremo festival spans a full day, from sunrise to well past sunset, presenting electronic music proposals in collaboration with the Câmara de Guimarães, taking place at Monte de Santa Marta das Cortiças and local churches.
Upcoming film cycles, the continuation of Forma de Vizinhança, and the Noite Branca de Braga mark the approach to the final phase, with a commission to Daniel Blaufuks, whose film “Naquele Dia em Lisboa,” with music by Matthew Herbert, will be screened on September 27, a day before its presentation at Lisbon’s Culturgest.
In music, a highlight is the performance of “In C,” the renowned 1964 composition by Terry Riley, honored in his 90th year by a group of Portuguese musicians conducted by maestro Pedro Carneiro.
The Castro-Galaico Festival, among Braga’25’s various approaches to Galicia, the Vaudeville Rendez-Vous new circus festival, Sons do Noroeste, Semibreve, and Utopia Braga are other offerings until the end of the year in the district capital.
Fernandes also mentioned the visit of Companhia Nacional de Bailado in October, the public policy dialogue program Cenários, from Teatro Municipal D. Maria II, in November, and the world premiere of Marco Martins’ new show in December.
Following this year, as Braga hands over the title to Ponta Delgada, the next Portuguese Capital of Culture, “various initiatives” are set to continue.
“The Supracasa program, supporting new creations in performing arts, will be absorbed by Theatro Circo’s program. It’s a legacy that will remain. Many others are under discussion, also depending on funding mechanisms,” he revealed.
