News Porto.

Porto City Hall participates in an international consortium, coordinated by the Centre for Social Studies (CES), University of Coimbra, which will implement a regeneration programme to bring life to housing districts in seven European Cities, through the creation of green corridors. In the context of the horizon 2020, the Research Funding Framework Programme for technological development and innovation, the EU will contribute with more than 13 million euros for the URBiNAT - Urban Innovative...

The Christmas Concert of Coliseu Porto has been set for 18 December, at 9.30 pm. The single presentation features The Messiah by Handel. With Argentinian maestro Leonardo García Alarcón conducting, this will be a time for a unique rendition of the iconic "Hallelujah", sung by the Lisboa Cantat Choir and conducted by Jorge Carvalho Alves.

The Guerra Junqueiro Museum opens a visual display that tells the history of Father Christmas and other mythical or folkloric gift-bringing figures who appear around the Christmas period, since the 17th century. The opening is on 14 December, starting at 6.30 pm.

The children and teenagers musical performance "Fã" is coming to the stage today 13 December, at São João National Theatre. This musical opened at Carlos Alberto Theatre (TeCA) last January.

The Municipal Programme of Cultural Tours is set off to explore the festivity scenes and the Christmas cribs, typical of this festive season through the town. The tour begins at 2.30 pm at São José das Taipas Church, located at the Campo dos Mártires da Pátria (Cordoaria Garden) and it is guided by the municipal technical staff.

Porto established a Tourist Tax. It was done by resolution of the City Council and it should be applicable from 1 March 2018. This tax is not applicable to reservations made prior to that date.

The entry period for grant applications of €50.000 of the Municipal programme for supporting artistic creation, titled Criatório, starts Friday, 15 December. This is the second edition of Criatório, and the application deadline is from 15 December 2017 to 31 January 2018.

The cycle of performances sponsored by the Municipality of Porto encompasses 19 bands that go on stage 14 December and include Repórter Estrábico, Holy Nothing and the Mirror People. Starting at 9.30 pm, the last show of the year of the Porto Best Of initiative, curated by Miguel Guedes, offers three concerts to tell the story of electronic music made in Porto.

The Municipal Programme "Cultura em Expansão" is drawing to a close; the fourth edition ends in festivity and the result of a year's work will emerge right this weekend, at Porto Municipal Theatre, in Rivoli.

The theatre company "Companhia Caótica" features "Crevescer" at Café-Theatre at Campo Alegre, on 16 December, at 3.30 pm. This performance aims to contemplate the life path of a man, who is not too old but he is not as young anymore, and is dwelling on the continuous process of getting older and ageing. This activity mixes cinema, music and autobiography.