Municipal Ateliers are set to provide the preconditions for artistic creation in Porto

The first Municipal Atelier opens doors this month of December to accommodate the first six artists; Vera Mota, Jaime Lauriano, Dayana Lucas, Tomás Abreu, Laetitia Morais and Orlando Vieira Francisco will settle in the new working spaces set in Ribeira.

The project "Estúdios e Ateliers Municipais" ["Studios and Municipal Ateliers"], which is implemented by the municipal company Ágora, is targeted at visual artists in the city of Porto 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 first atelier, located next to the Tunnel of Ribeira, relies on six working spaces, namely four in the Ateliers of Lada, and two n the adjoining building, termed “Apartamento da Ribeira”.

The project is part of the building Ateliers of Lada, designed by architect Virgínio Moutinho, 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. However, in the past years it accommodated the National Association of Football Coaches. It will now be restored to its original purpose.

The application period to the Municipal Ateliers took place from 20th July until 14th August. Applications were assessed by an external jury, composed of curator Luiza Teixeira de Freitas, artist Pedro Barateiro and architect and curator Sérgio Fazenda Rodrigues. The jurors selected artsits Vera Mota, Jaime Lauriano, Dayana Lucas e Tomás Abreu e, para o Apartamento da Ribeira, Laetitia Morais and Orlando Vieira Francisco. To settle in the four spaces of the Lada Atelier.

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

The Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, visited the place in the end of November to ascertain the conclusion of the rehabilitation works, whose purpose was to transform that place into an artist's atelier space, now equipped with a kitchen, a cafeteria and a social space.

The project “Ateliers Municipais” will also add two new poles, in the parish of Campanhã, included in the CACE Cultural do Porto and in the Matadouro buildings. CACE is to host four ateliers and the Matadouro will accommodate nine ateliers.

The municipal investment amounts to circa 100 thousand euros, and the municipal company Ágora will implement it. This project represents a new axis on the contemporary artistic creation of the InResidence Pltaform, which aims to give artists in the city of Porto the opportunity to work in the city.