Existence of a national strategy

Portugal does not have a single, standalone national strategy exclusively dedicated to creativity and culture for young people. Instead, action in this field is framed through a combination of constitutional principles, sectoral strategies and cross‑sectoral policy instruments that integrate culture, education and youth policy.

This approach reflects a policy understanding in which creativity and cultural participation are treated as transversal issues rather than as self-contained youth policy domain. Rather than isolating young people within a separate cultural strategy, public action aims to embed cultural opportunities within education systems, territorial cultural provision and youth participation frameworks.

This governance choice is consistent with the broader structure of cultural policy in Portugal, where strategic coherence is pursued through overarching frameworks while implementation is distributed across different sectors and levels of governance. As a result, young people are addressed as a priority group within general cultural and educational strategies, rather than through a dedicated national youth culture strategy.

Scope and contents

The central strategic instrument addressing creativity and culture among children and young people in Portugal is the National Arts Plan (Plano Nacional das Artes – PNA). Initially established for the period 2019–2029, the PNA constitutes a long‑term framework aimed at integrating arts, culture and heritage into formal education and learning environments.

The scope of the PNA extends beyond arts education in a narrow sense. Its objectives include fostering cultural participation, promoting artistic literacy, encouraging creativity and critical thinking, and strengthening cultural citizenship. The Plan promotes sustained engagement with arts and culture rather than isolated or occasional activities, emphasising continuity, mediation and meaningful participation.

A distinctive feature of the PNA is its emphasis on school‑based cultural projects, encouraging each participating school to develop a Cultural School Project adapted to its local context. These projects promote partnerships between schools, artists, cultural institutions, local authorities and community organisations, embedding cultural activity into the everyday life of educational institutions.

The PNA operates in articulation with several complementary programmes, including the Aesthetic and Artistic Education Programme, the National Reading Plan and the National Cinema Plan. Together, these programmes address different dimensions of cultural participation, from artistic practice and heritage engagement to reading, audiovisual literacy and critical cultural consumption.

At youth policy level, the National Youth Plan/National Youth Agenda incorporates creativity and culture as strategic dimensions linked to participation, inclusion, personal development and employability. Culture is thus framed not only as an educational resource but also as a field of social participation and civic engagement for young people.

Taken together, these instruments form a coherent strategic environment in which creativity and culture are integrated into education, youth policy and territorial development, rather than forming a self‑contained cultural strategy for young people.

Responsible authority for the implementation of the strategy

Responsibility for the implementation of policies and strategies addressing creativity and culture for young people is shared across different authorities. Strategic oversight lies with the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, within the policy area of the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, in close articulation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Inovation.

The operational implementation of the National Arts Plan and related programmes involves specialised public bodies, including cultural directorates, educational authorities and public cultural institutions. Schools play a central role in implementation, acting as local hubs for cultural activity, while local authorities contribute through infrastructure, programming and partnerships.

This shared responsibility reflects the integrated nature of the strategy, which relies on coordination between cultural and educational systems, as well as cooperation with local and regional actors.

Revisions/updates

The strategic framework addressing creativity and culture for young people has been reinforced through the adoption of the PNA Strategic Action Plan 2024–2029. This update built on earlier implementation phases and incorporated lessons learned from the initial years of the Plan, including the period affected by the COVID‑19 pandemic.

The revised action plan clarified priorities, strengthened monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and placed greater emphasis on territorial implementation and local partnerships. These updates aimed to enhance the sustainability and coherence of the National Arts Plan while maintaining its long‑term strategic orientation.