Cerveira International Art Biennial

The Cerveira International Art Biennial, the oldest art festival in Portugal, is directed to the promotion of contemporary art. Existing since 1978, this event is supported by a national and international reputation. Fostering and stimulating the region’s creativity, the cultural decentralization and internationalization, it provides, for over 40 years, a space for meeting, interaction and dissemination of ideas, as an opportunity for the acknowledgement of national and international artists. Each edition usually presents more than 600 artworks made by 400 artists from more than 30 countries!

Its first edition was on 1978 and since then an artistic commitment was made. Ever since its beginning it was valued the interaction, dialogue, collective experimentation and sharing of ideas and experiences among national and international artists. Many of them actually come and stay during the event, so this relationship can be assumed as very close, having also many repercussions in what artwork and institutional partnerships concerns.

Throughout its 20 editions, we have exhibited and encouraged avant-garde art. From the first edition it has been promoted an international competition in which are selected and awarded, by an expert jury, less known or young artists, which we gave the opportunity of getting dissemination and visibility.

In addition, emphasizing this commitment, the Biennial has always included in its program: a retrospective exhibition in tribute to an important artist; the representation of art schools and other institutions; the presentation of artworks by invited artists and by requested commissioners.

In terms of the process of contemporary creation, the festival complementary program includes: artistic residencies, in which we host artists from all over the world; workshops for adults and children in painting, drawing, music, ceramics, digital art, serigraphy and so on; and even the site-specific installations, which provide the experimentation and interaction between the artists, the public, the locals and the institution, turning this event in an interdisciplinary meeting space of creative convergence and collaborative production.

The promoter of the Biennial, the Cerveira Biennial Art Foundation, holds an important collection, representative of the evolution of art in the last 40 years. The Museum is a project in constant development which aims to foster artistic and cultural initiatives, also in the time between the Biennials. The collection has 500 artworks and some were awarded in the Biennial and others are acquisitions and donations. Conserving, managing and communicating this legacy are also our purposes in the advancement of arts. Our Museum promotes a regular program of contemporary art exhibitions and organizes guided tours in which we encourage a participative dialogue, as well as various workshops for children and adults.

More info: www.bienaldecerveira.pt