The Odemira Art and Science Biennial launches its pilot edition between 3 and 5 October 2026

agenda

DATE

11 Sep 2026

AUTHOR

Umbigo

The Odemira Art and Science Biennial launches its pilot edition between 3 and 5 October 2026

AUTHOR

Umbigo

The Odemira Art and Science Biennial will hold its pilot edition from 3 to 5 October 2026, across various venues in Odemira, Vila Nova de Milfontes, Sabóia and São Luís. Organised by Odemira Municipal Council and curated by Hugo Cruz, the initiative brings together artists, researchers, cultural professionals and local communities in a programme combining talks, walks, workshops, installations, concerts, performances and gatherings.

With free admission, this inaugural edition of the Biennial was conceived under the motto Tentemos (Let’s Try) and is based on the idea that culture and art can serve as privileged spaces for imagining, experimenting and discussing alternative ways of inhabiting the present and realising possible futures. The pilot edition, in the curator’s own words, is a first step toward structuring and consolidating an international platform for creation, experimentation, training and programming, which fosters an intersection between artistic practices, science, critical thinking and participation. Viewing this edition as an open-ended and evolving initiative, the Biennial proposes a continuous process of collective creation, valuing the cultural and ecological diversity of the region and the intersection between different disciplines and fields of knowledge.

Among the highlights of the programme is Tentemos, a production by ondamarela created in collaboration with the Odemira community, which is the result of a process developed over recent months with residents, associations, music groups and artists from the municipality. Built around memories, stories, voices and soundscapes of the area, the piece blends music, spoken word and performance, culminating on 5 October in a procession from Praça da República to Cerro do Peguinho, featuring the fado singer Gisela João.

The relationship between territory, community and creativity is also evident in Selva Coragem, an installation by Teatro do Frio – an artistic collective founded in 2005 – created using plants lent by residents of Odemira. Occupying the Antiga Abastecedora, an abandoned space in the town, the project questions and imagines alternative possibilities for derelict spaces.

In the field of visual arts, the Biennial also presents (enlaça o ficar!), by Carlos Noronha Feio, an installation that draws on the landscapes, stories and communities of Odemira to reflect on the meaning of staying, belonging and forging bonds.

The programme also includes a series of talks and walks that bring art, science, the local area and critical thinking into dialogue. A Esquina é o Centro, with Luiz Rufino and Paula Cardoso, offers a walking talk on hybrid cultures, decolonial thought and citizenship. In Tentemos Confluências entre Arte e Ciência, Mariana Dias Coutinho, Diogo Dias Coutinho, Marta de Menezes, Luís Graça, Catarina Lacerda and Rodrigo Malvar bring together different ways of producing knowledge, conducting research and caring for ecosystems. Meanwhile, Tentemos o lugar, with Aurora Carapinha and Madalena Victorino, and Tentemos a experiência da arte pública, with Gonçalo Condeixa, Thomas Wimmer and Carlos Noronha Feio, offer different perspectives on the landscape, the territory and public space.

The pilot edition ends with a community dinner and an evening of music at Cerro do Peguinho, featuring the DJ set De Seixe para o Mira by Lava Gull & Hi-Faï, and a DJ set by Xitãozinho, extending the theme of gathering and celebration that runs through the entire Biennial.

Alongside the programme, the Biennial also features an International Meeting of Programmers and Curators, which takes place between 3 and 5 October and brings together national and international professionals to explore Odemira’s artistic ecosystem, foster networking and create new opportunities for collaboration. Through presentations, visits and meetings with local artists and collectives, the programme aims to raise the profile of the creative work taking place in the region and establish Odemira as a hub for contemporary creation and international exchange. This inaugural edition also marks the launch of the Madalena Victorino International Artistic Creation Grant, which will be presented at the opening session.

Participation in the activities is free, although some are subject to prior registration or have limited capacity. The full programme can be viewed on the initiative’s website.

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