EDP today chose nine Portuguese popular culture projects from the regions where EDP Produção operates, in the 2nd edition of the Traditions Programme. The initiative aims to support the most genuine traditions of popular culture, making available up to 250,000 euros in the next two years for the best projects.

In this second edition, the Programme received 105 applications from the length and breadth of the country, and the jury, composed mostly of members from outside EDP, selected nine projects. Among those chosen are traditions as diverse as The Art of the Tinsmith, whose aim is to revive the art of tinsmithing; The Travelling Memory ID that, through the touring of the Dom Roberto Theatre aims to stimulate the cultural opportunities for more isolated and aged populations; and Painting and Singing on Twelfth Night, a tradition that, in Portugal, is still most alive in Alenquer.

The winners will have a direct impact on the people of 16 municipalities during their projects. Silves, Sines, Figueira da Foz, Fundão, Alenquer, Mirandela, Terras de Bouro, Ribeira de Pena, Sever de Vouga, Vale de Cambra, Figueiró dos Vinhos, Évora, Santiago do Cacém, Mirando do Douro, Mogadouro and Murça are the regions covered by the winning traditions.

In this latest edition, the Traditions programme introduced some new features: it became biennial to allow greater follow-up of the projects, and invests in the training of the organisations supported, reinforcing their skills. In this way the programme aims to help to create new audiences, ensuring that younger generations enhance and mainstream the popular arts and knowledge.

The initiative promotes projects linked to Portuguese traditions ranging from crafts to beliefs, through folklore, gastronomy, pilgrimages, and other popular culture customs.

As part of its social investment policy, EDP has a series of initiatives underway covering schools, social institutions, entrepreneurs and cultural organisations, with the goal of contributing to the development of the regions in which the company operates.

Winning Projects:

1. Arte do Latoeiro (The Art of the Tinsmith)
Entity: Proactivetur
Location: Silves

2. Residents Associations in the municipality of Sines: from tradition to modernity
Entity: Sines City Council
Location: Sines

3. Recri@r Tr@dições
Entity: Grupo de Instrução e Sport
Location: Figueira da Foz

4. Encouragement of the Santa Luzia Pilgrimage of Fundão and its traditions
Entity: Irmandade de Santa Luzia
Location: Fundão

5. Painting and Singing on Twelfth Night
Entity: Alenquer City Council
Location: Alenquer

6. Patrimonialisation of the Caretos, Rapazes and Santo Estevão Festival in Torre de Dona Chama
Entity: Dona Flâmula – Associação para a defesa do património de Torre Dona Chama
Location: Mirandela

7. Awakening Traditions
Entity: Associação Sócio Cultural e Desportiva de Valdosende
Location: Terras de Bouro

8. Travelling Memory ID
Entity: Itinerantatitude Associação Cultural (Artistic name: Red Cloud Puppet Theatre)
Location: Ribeira de Pena, Sever de Vouga, Vale de Cambra, Figueiró dos Vinhos, Évora and Santiago do Cacém

9. Traditional Crafts - Recovery and Innovation
Entity: CAB – Centro de Acolhimento do Burro
Location: Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro, Murça