The Communist party is demanding answers after the ‘365 Algarve’ events programme appears to have come to an end, but no official announcement from the government has been made. The initiative was created in 2016 to boost the region’s cultural calendar outside the summer season.
Since then, the programme has been responsible for bringing a variety of concerts, performances, exhibitions and gastronomic events to the Algarve, often to areas or communities that are “off the beaten track”.
In October, the Secretary of State for Cultural Heritage, Ângela Ferreira, said that it was “important” to continue the work that the programme has accomplished, and that a definitive announcement about the fate of ‘365 Algarve’ would be made by November 2020.
But 2021 has come and cultural agents are still in the dark about the future of the programme. In fact, there seems to be no indication that a fifth edition is in the pipeline, hence the concerns brought forth by the PCP Communists.
Apart from providing a region-wide ‘winter events programme’, the scheme also provided essential financial support to event organisers.
PCP has stressed how the end of the programme jeopardises the survival of around 20 cultural associations and companies whose events were part of ‘365 Algarve’.
Without it, MPs João Dias, Ana Mesquita and Bruno Dias fear these entities and their employees would have to rely on the “good will of municipalities”, and “regional cohesion in terms of arts and culture” would be lost.
They add that the creation of a new programme led by municipalities would not have the “universal and integrated approach that the region needs”.
The party has also questioned whether the government has even “listened” to cultural entities before making any decision, and how the €1.5 million that was channelled into the scheme every year will now be spent.
