Government assists with taking culture abroad

The Government announced a one-million-euro investment to support the international expansion of Portuguese culture and boost the projection of the cultural agents abroad via the Cultural Development Fund.

The decision was announced by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Margarida Balseiro Lopes under the second edition of the Culture Forum held on 21 and 21 January in Porto. The Forum focused on the international expansion of culture and the role of culture in territorial cohesion: "to foster the international expansion of national talent is to affirm the country, showcasing it to the world, which also contributes to the development of our create industries", she stated.

The new support line is wider than the assistance that already exists as it applies to several sectors, from cinema to audiovisual, from books to architecture or heritage. Available in 2027, its aim is to support Portuguese artists and projects in international markets, namely via funding travel or logistics expenses, and paying fees associated with attending shows and fairs.

The Culture Forum gathered those in charge of the official entities in the cultural field, as well as theatre representatives for a meeting on the sector’s status and challenges. With speakers from various points of the country and different work experiences, the initiative promoted by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports ended with two panels to think about the themes that cover the edition.

Through these initiatives the Government is increasing public investment in Culture, deepening dialogue with the sector and building more effective public policy. The next edition is scheduled for 27 and 28 April in Ponta Delgada. The central theme will be Cultural Rights.