Governance

The Ministry of Culture's mission is to formulate, lead, execute and evaluate a global and coordinated policy in the field of culture and related areas, particularly, safeguarding and appreciation of cultural heritage, encouraging artistic creation and cultural diffusion, and qualifying the cultural fabric.

In pursuit of its strategic lines the Ministry can count on a Secretary of State for Cultural Heritage and Secretary of State for Cinema, Audiovisual and Media, comprehending a wide set of services of the central direct administration under its tutelage, which develop policies to promote access to the diversity of domains of the cultural sector.

Regarding the main governance approaches of the Cultural Public Sector to young people, a set of values and principles are keynote, namely:

-    the right to happiness and well-being through cultural creation and fruition;

-    the promotion of cultural experiences in a decentralized, diversified and participative form;

-    the awareness of Culture as being a determinant factor for the definition of one’s identity, as stimulus for the development of critical and analytical thinking, emotional and affective experience, inventiveness and innovation, the sense of belonging, the conscience of others and of the world, the construction of experiences and of memories which are essential to a fuller and richer personal development;

-    the affirmation of Culture as an essential condition for the guarantee of freedom of expression, by providing the means, mechanisms and discourses that are imperative to the pursuit of creativity and expressiveness without further restrictions before the conditions imposed by society.

Within the Ministry of Culture, the following services play a role on developing and implementing policies/activities towards young publics, within their main activities and attributions:

- Gabinete de Estratégia, Planeamento e Avaliação Culturais – GEPAC takes on a fundamental role in the technical support for the design, implementation and evaluation of cultural policies within its multiple dimensions, including the growing requirements and responsibilities that this office has committed to comply with public administration services, in particular regarding the much-needed institutional coordination that allow to sustain the transversality of cultural policies.

Inspeção-Geral das Atividades Culturais – IGAC undertakes the improvement, development, management and protection of copyright, and is also in charge of supervising and inspecting the venues with an artistic nature in order to ensure their technical and safety conditions, as well as the age rating of the plays and cultural content, and of the entertainment and shows with an artistic nature, the register of literary, scientific, artistic, cinematographic and audio-visual works, and the licensing and inspection of artistic shows.

- Direção-Geral das Artes – DGARTES coordinates and implements support policies for the arts, aiming to promote equal access to the arts, as well as the diversification and decentralisation of its creation and production. It is responsible for taking action on the public funding of activities and projects that ensure artistic creativity and innovation and to attract and raise awareness of differentiated audiences.

- Direção-Geral do Património Cultural – DGPC ensures the management, protection, valorisation, conservation and renovation of properties that are part of the immovable, movable and intangible cultural heritage, and develops and implements the national museology policy. It is responsible for the direct management of 23 monuments and museums, including 5 monuments in UNESCO's world heritage list and 15 national museums, as well as the Portuguese Museums Network.

- Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual, I.P. - ICA, IP aims to support the development of cinematographic and audio-visual activities, from the creation to the dissemination and national and international circulation of works, fostering the emergence of new values, contributing to the diversity of the cultural offer and to the cinematographic and audio-visual sectors in accordance with its mission.

 

- Direção-Geral do Livro, dos Arquivos e das Bibliotecas – DGLAB ensures the coordination of the national archive system and the implementation of an integrated policy for non-school books, libraries and reading, contributing to the protection, enhancement and dissemination of archival heritage, and to the promotion of reading and raising literacy rates. It fosters creation in all areas of literary production. It is also responsible for the coordination of Rede Nacional de Bibliotecas Públicas- RNBP (Public Libraries’ National Network), a programme that aims to promote and develop public libraries services to the communities. Under its tutelage, the Centro Português de Fotografia (Portuguese Photography Centre) promotes and values the photographic heritage, including archival treatment and the management of the National Photographic Collection and of the Cameras and Photographic Equipment, Collection, having an interesting group in a permanent exposition denominated António Pedro Vicente Museum Nucleus. On the other hand, promotes access to the creation and enjoyment of the archives, arts and culture of photography, through expositions and activities oriented to diverse audiences, namely, young people.

- National Sound Archive (ANS) – supported by DGPC and DGLAB the National Sound Archive was created by resolution of the Council of Ministers (nº36 / 2019) and its mission is to develop all the actions necessary to create an archival structure focused on sound documents.

The object of the archival structure will be the sound recorded in any medium, system, or format known today or to be invented.

The main function of the structure will be the creation, gathering, cataloguing and access to audio documents, produced within the scope of any domain of practice (artistic, scientific, documentary) and geographical origin. The structure will deal with the incorporation, management, preservation, availability and use of a collection of sound documents and related materials. Its objective will be to ensure preservation for the future and universal access to sound documents that are under its tutelage.

Its activities will also extend to the constitution and promotion of a network of similar collections, located in the country or abroad. It will promote research, access, promotion and dissemination of the country's sound heritage.

- Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (BNP) - BNP's mission is to collect, treat and preserve the Portuguese documental heritage, in Portuguese and about Portugal, in the various types of support it presents itself, as well as to ensure its study, dissemination and the conditions for its enjoyment. BNP also ensures the classification and inventory of national bibliographic heritage.

On a regional level, working closely with the local entities and with the communities, the Regional Directorates for Culture are responsible, in articulation with the national services of the Ministry of Culture, namely DGARTES and DGPC, for ensuring the access to cultural goods and services, the monitoring of activities and the supervision of artistic production structures, cultural services and entities. They also provide the follow-up of safeguard actions, enhancement and dissemination of immovable cultural heritage, mobile and immaterial, and support for museums.

  Direção Regional de Cultura do Alentejo -  the DRC-Alentejo is the regional branch of the Ministry of Culture in Alentejo Region. Its headquarters are in Évora, with two other decentralized offices (in Crato and Castro Verde) and its work covers the area of the regional 47 Municipalities, comprising around a 1/3 of Portuguese mainland area. The DRC-Alentejo promotes under the National Youth Plan two types of actions regarding students. On the one hand, invites authors and artists to go to schools for open conversations where students can talk to them about their artistic careers, pros & cons, doubts. On the other hand, promotes some concerts for young music students, at its headquarters in Evora, in May.

Note: during the covid pandemic restrictions were put in place like reduce, postpone, change to on-line.

  Direção Regional de Cultura do Algarve - the DRC-Algarve, in collaboration with other services of the Ministry of Culture, promotes awareness and dissemination of good practices for the safeguard and enhancement of cultural heritage, through educational and recreational actions; access to the creation and enjoyment of the arts and culture, with a wide range of activities fully focused on the territorial contexts in which it intervenes, namely Fortaleza de Sagres, Aljezur Castle, Paderne Castle, Hermitage Nossa Senhora da Guadalupe, Megalilith Monuments of Alcala rand two roman ruins complexes: Milreu and Abicada.

The DRC-Algarve also coordinates two main iniciatives: DiVaM and HArPa.

DiVaM -   each year the Direção Regional de Cultura do Algarve promotes initiatives to enhance the regions' cultural monuments. The common denominator that embraces the 2020 program is “Human Rights, Equality and Non-Discrimination”.

HArPa (History, arts and Heritage of the Algarve) – is another program coordinated by the DRC-Algarve aimed at local schools whichpromotes knowledge of the local heritage and its cultural history.

  Direção Regional de Cultura do Centro - the DRC-C in collaboration with other services of the Ministry of Culture, promotes awareness and dissemination of good practices for the safeguard and enhancement of cultural heritage, through educational and recreational actions; access to the creation and enjoyment of the arts and culture, with a wide range of activities fully focused on the territorial contexts in which it intervenes.

The DRC-C has under its management a set of 26 hertiage sites plus the Ceramics Museum (Caldas da Rainha), The José Malhoa Museu (Caldas da Rainha), the Dr. Joaquim Manso Museum (Nazaré) and Santa Clara-a-Velha Monastery (Coimbra).

In addition to the development and promotion of activities related to the different educational services, the DRC-C devotes particular attention to the youth audience, granting free admission to children under 12 in all its facilities.

On the occasion of the celebration of the International Youth Day, on August 12th, the DRC-C grants free access to its museums and monuments to all young people aged between 12 and 26 years.

  Direção Regional de Cultura do Norte - the DRC-N in collaboration with other services of the Ministry of Culture, promotes awareness and dissemination of good practices for the safeguard and enhancement of cultural heritage, through educational and recreational actions; access to the creation and enjoyment of the arts and culture, with a wide range of activities fully focused on the territorial contexts in which it intervenes.

The DRC-N has under its management a set of seven museum spaces located in the North of Portugal: the Museu do Abade de Baçal, in Bragança; the Museu de Alberto Sampaio and the Paço dos Duques de Bragança, in Guimarães; the Biscainhos Museum and the D. Diogo de Sousa Museum, in Braga; the Lamego Museum and the Terra da Miranda Museum, in Miranda do Douro. Plus DRC-N is also responsible for the management of a vast patrimonial complex, including monasteries, castles, churches, cathedrals and archaeological sites.

In addition to the development and promotion of activities related to the different educational services, the DRC-N devotes particular attention to the youth audience, granting free admission to children under 12 in all its facilities.

On the occasion of the celebration of the International Youth Day, on August 12th, the DRC-N grants free access to its museums and monuments to all young people aged between 12 and 26 years.

It is also worth mentioning the promotion of the Nortear Literary Award for Young Writers, now in its 6th edition. The Nortear Literary Prize is a joint initiative of the Consellería de Cultura e Turismo - Xunta de Galicia (Spain), DRC-N (Portugal) and European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation Galicia-North of Portugal. It aims to distinguish, annually, original literary works; promote the appearance of young writers, encouraging the production of new works in the field of fiction; encourage literary creativity among young writers residing in Galicia and Northern Portugal and promote the circulation and distribution of literary works across borders. It has a value of 3,000 € (three thousand euros) and also guarantees the publication of the winning work in a bilingual edition (Portuguese and Galician).

All individuals with full legal capacity, resident in the North of Portugal or in Galicia, aged between 16 and 36 years can apply for the Nortear Prize.

Within the Ministry of Culture the following public entities, endowed with administrative, financial and patrimonial autonomy, promote or integrate partnerships of artistic, cultural and heritage promotion targeted at young people.

These services provide a wide number of activities that carry out specific strategies aimed at developing audiences and promoting artistic fruition of young audiences.

Teatro Nacional D. Maria II it develops an intense programme for the different school levels and for teachers, within the strong belief that it is crucial to consolidate the connection between culture and education and therefore between theatre and school community.

TNDMII provides educational files, helps schedule meetings and talks with the artistic team, guided visits and technical visits to the Theatre (classified as a National Monument).

In collaboration with the Centro Cultural Vila Flor, O Espaço do Tempo and Teatro Viriato, the National Theatre D. Maria II created the Amélia Rey Colaço Grant, which is a creative grant aimed at supporting the production of shows by young artists and emerging companies in order to promote the renewal of Portuguese theater.

PANOS – New stages new words is a project that arrived in 2019 at the National Theater D. Maria II and that combines school / youth theater with new dramaturgies, following the example of the Connections program of the National Theater in London. Every year there are new pieces ordered from renowned writers to be represented by young people between 12 and 18 years old.

K CENA – a young Portuguese-speaking theater project, arrived at D. Maria II in 2018. Composed of young people aged 14 to 18 years old selected after a workshop, the group will rehearse and debut a new show, which will be presented at the end of the season, in the D. Maria II Studio Room.

The general programme for children and youth is available online with several initiatives that throughout the year provide a deeper approach of younger audiences to Theatre, plus applies discounts and special pricing for citizens under 31 years old.

Teatro Nacional de S. João - it is a National Theater whose main public service objectives are the creation and presentation of various genres of theatre shows, in accordance with standards of artistic and technical excellence, as well as bringing audiences into regular contact with classic and contemporary reference works from the Portuguese and universal dramatic repertoire. Teatro Nacional São João is also fully committed to championing Portuguese-spoken drama and the Portuguese language at large, in both its standard form and its polymorphy, dialectal variants included.

OPART, E.P.E. which integrates the Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos and Companhia Nacional de Bailado and and Estúdios Victor Córdon studios (EVC).

Cinemateca Portuguesa – Museu do Cinema – CP-MC collects, protects preserves and disseminates the heritage related to moving images, promoting knowledge of the history of cinema and the development of film and audio-visual culture.

Networks

In the framework of the strategy of decentralisation of culture, the cultural stimulation at the local level is structured in a set of networks, many of which are targeted at attracting and training young people as a strategy for developing new audiences.

The Rede Portuguesa de Museus – RPM (Portuguese Museum Network) is an organised system of museums that aims at the decentralisation, mediation, training and cooperation between museums, being an essential instrument in the implementation of the national museum policy and qualification of Portuguese museums.

The Rede Nacional de Bibliotecas Públicas - RPM (Public Libraries’ National Network) is a programme coordinated by the DGLAB which intends to provide all Portuguese municipalities with a public library. It  intends to provide technical and/or financial support to municipalities in the creation and installation of public libraries in accordance with the strategic guidelines of the Programa de Apoio às Bibliotecas Municipais which is based on the daFLA / UNESCO Manifesto about the Public Library, as well as national and international recommendations applicable to the sector.

The Portuguese Archive Network (RPA), coordinated by DGLAG, aims at the dissemination of archival heritage, disseminated by different archive services, making it accessible to all citizens, and promoting its access and knowledge as a repository of a collective memory.

RPA fits the national archives - National Archives of the Tombo Tower (Torre do Tombo) (ANTT) and the Portuguese Centre of Photography (CPF) and a group of 16 district archives.

Cross-sectorial cooperation

All bodies under the Ministry of Culture promote the development of its mission and functions in a cross-sectorial logic between ministries and scopes of action, in order to ensure a greater efficiency of the implementation of public policies in the field of culture and its coverage in several fields and consequent impact on different audiences.A wide group of public and private entities is responsible for the main initiatives and programmes targeted at the promotion of cultural activities among young people, which also focus on attracting them as an informed and active audience, through the establishment of strategic partnerships.

We highlight, on this subject, the approval of the National Youth Plan (August 2018), with a frame for the Sectorial Culture Plan centred in three fundamental areas for the young people: a) cultural fruition/broadening of audiences b) support for cultural creation and c) Employment/Entrepreneurship/ Qualification in the cultural area and in creative industries.

Regarding national public funding, and as a result of the cooperation and inter-ministerial and inter-institutional coordination policies, other bodies (external to the Ministry of Culture) fund or co-fund a wide range of public policies to promote creativity and culture, such as:

• Camões Institute;
• Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP, I.P.);
• Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ, I.P.);
• High Commission for Migration (ACM, I.P.);
• Tourism of Portugal;
• Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (IAPMEI);
• National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture (Ciência Viva);
• Local Administration;
• etc;