Northern Portugal is perhaps most renowned for its ancient castles and monasteries, and the age-old art of making port wine. But the region is also a bastion of contemporary art, architecture and design that visitors can discover along the Arte Contemporânea Roteiro, a new contemporary art route that highlights the modern side of the north.
The route is a spinoff of the Portuguese Contemporary Art Network (RPAC), created in 2021 to stimulate local creativity and give more people from both Portugal and abroad access to the arts. Here are a few of the 10 stops along the trail:
Awarded the title of “Best Portuguese Museum of 2019,” the Cerveira Biennial Museum reflects the evolution of global modern and contemporary art over the past four decades. It features more than 700 works of art, primarily the result of awards won during the International Art Biennials of Cerveira and donations from artists.
The José de Guimarães International Arts Center revolves around on the artist’s personal collection, which includes African art, pre-Columbian art, ancient Chinese art, and a representative selection of his own work. The building itself is a modern architectural masterpiece.
A cultural programming space in Braga, GNRATION offers performative, exhibition and educational activities based on two fundamental pillars, which operate independently or in conjunction: contemporary music and the relationship between art and technology.
