Emmanuel Pizarro, the Socialist candidate, emphasized during a visit to the Autumn Festival at Serralves Gardens that there are solutions in various cities worldwide that allow residents to access public spaces for free during the last two hours of each day.
“Other solutions are possible. We will engage in dialogue with the Serralves Foundation. Our goal is for Porto citizens to enjoy this space more,” he stated.
Discussing culture, Manuel Pizarro acknowledged significant achievements in this political cycle, citing the reopening of the Rivoli Porto Municipal Theatre, the reopening of the Batalha Cinema Center, the reprogramming of the Municipal Gallery, and the Book Fair at Palácio Gardens as examples.
“However, we also believe that more needs to be done, and perhaps a slight shift in direction is necessary,” underlined the PS list leader, advocating for a reduction in municipally originated programming and an increase in support for the artistic community to allow for a freer, more creative interpretation of Porto’s culture.
When asked how this support for the artistic community might be implemented, Manuel Pizarro responded that it could take various forms, but the most pressing need is for facilities and spaces for creation and performance.
“This is the greatest difficulty, as the real estate market impacts not only housing but also the rental of spaces required by companies and creators for making and showcasing their works. We aim to develop a network of cultural infrastructures and facilities in Porto that can extend to the so-called peripheries,” he revealed.
He added: “We will support the requalification of the Vale Formoso Cine-Theater, the return of the Vilarinha Theater to public use—we are very concerned about its potential concession to a private group just days before the local elections—the requalification of School 85 at Passeio Alegre into a cultural center, and several other spaces where we have our own projects.”
The candidate concluded by expressing his desire to create the Manuela de Melo Campus alongside the existing Paulo Cunha e Silva Campus to honor the two former Porto City Council members and enhance cultural capacity, given the latter is always overcrowded.
Candidates running for Porto City Hall include Manuel Pizarro (PS), Diana Ferreira (CDU – PCP/PEV coalition), Nuno Cardoso (Porto Primeiro – NC/PPM coalition), Pedro Duarte (PSD/CDS-PP/IL coalition), Sérgio Aires (BE), current vice-president Filipe Araújo (Fazer à Porto – independent), Guilherme Alexandre Jorge (Volt), Hélder Sousa (Livre), Miguel Corte-Real (Chega), Frederico Duarte Carvalho (ADN), Maria Amélia Costa (PTP), and Luís Tinoco Azevedo (PLS).
The current executive consists of a majority of six elected members from Rui Moreira’s movement and one independent councilor, with the remaining two from PS, two from PSD, one from CDU, and one from BE.
Local elections are scheduled for October 12.
