The community is also a cultural venue and this time round it hosts Sophia's Journey in Pasteleira

On 6 September, the Associação da Pasteleira Torres Vermelhas in Foz, Porto, hosts "A Viagem" ["The Voyage", free translation] by Portuguese poetess Sophia de Mello Breyner, starting at 9.30pm. Entrance free.

This performance features a voyage through the world of dance, based on the tale by Sophia and choreographed by Joana Providência, who explains that the show "metaphorically traces the journey to finding the most profound sense of life".

This cultural event is held in the scope of the municipal programme "Cultura em Expansão", which literally translates "Expanding Culture", a concept created by Paulo Cunha e Silva, former Porto City Hall councilman for Culture, to extend culture to those who have fewer opportunities to be near the cultural processes or activities. This municipal programme includes an array of artistic performances, from music and cinema, to theatre and dance, in the parishes of Campanhã, Miragaia and in the neighbourhood of Pasteleira.

All events are entrance free.

This is the 5th edition of the "Cultura em Expansão", and it will continue till December, as this year, this municipal programme comprises twenty one projects and sixty eight performances that are to be presented throughout this year's edition and that will integrate all the city's parishes for the first time ever.

The goal is to strengthen urban cultures in public space and foster social cohesion, on the grounds that culture works as a pillar of the community.

As Mayor of Porto and in-charge of the Cultural Department of the city, Rui Moreira stated early this year, "the maturity of this edition mirrors a specific option to programme different projects and analyse the city through their creative processes, by involving artists, cultural agents, and residents of different areas in Porto".

This current scenario was also possible, according to the Municipality, due to the increase of partnerships in the area of cultural and recreational associations. The project is endowed with a budget of 300 thousand euros, 20 thousand more compared to last year, in line with the "towards a model of cultural cohesion" policy.

This year's programme shall be based on a three-level structure scheme, which will be presented at the auditorium of the parish council of Campanhã, in the Association of Pasteleira Torres Vermelhas and at the Auditorium Grupo Musical de Miragaia. These activities "will offer their cultural power and activities at a regular rhythm, taking on the role of small cultural centres within the city".

There will be a satellite programming scattered all over town, as well.

It is worth spotlighting that the activities programme offers scheduled performances every fortnight till December.