Executive advances Municipal Ateliers to house artists' studios in Porto

The project "Estúdios e Ateliers Municipais" ["Studios and Municipal Ateliers"], which was debated at the Municipal Executive meeting, on 6th July under proposition of Mayor Rui Moreira, is targeted at city artists who, upon selection through tender, will be able to convert spaces in Porto Historic Centre into their art studios, namely in Lada area, next to the Túnel da Ribeira.  

The municipal investment amounts to circa 100 thousand euros, and it will be implemented by the municipal company Ágora. Artists residing or established in the city will have the opportunity to settle in ateliers located in Lada, by means of three-year concession contracts.

The project is part of the building Ateliers of Lada, which was erected on occasion of Porto Capital of Culture 2001, over the Túnel da Ribeira, with the goal of transforming into an artist's atelier space. An adjoining building will be integrated in the first Municipal Atelier centre, as soon as its rehabilitation works are concluded.

The first centre of this project will rely on six work spaces for visual artists, with four of this spaces located in the Ateliers da Lada building and two other in the adjoining building, which will be equipped with a kitchen and a cafeteria and social space.

The ateliers will be assigned by tender, promoted by Ágora - Cultura e Desporto do Porto, on condition that visual artists or art collectives are established in the city. The conclusion of concession contracts will be subject to a financial contribution by artists, but "the leasing charge will be considerably lower than the estimated market price", as reads the proposition by Mayor Rui Moreira.

So that the financial contributions are symbolic in value, the Municipality of Porto is supporting the project to the tune of 100 thousand euros for the 3-year period. In addition, the Municipality will also bear all handling costs, such as water, electricity, gas utilities and telecommunications, during the term of the contract.

This initiative is the outcome of a Resolution of the Board of Ágora, at the end of May, and which concluded by the decision to promote the project of establishing the Municipal Ateliers project, so that artists can develop their work in such spaces in the city, in the framework of that project.

The project is also coordinated by the Municipality of Porto and it is integrated in its cultural agenda, where the development of contemporary artistic discourses is crucial, considering their relevant role for the improvement of the city.