“Portimão has now lost the support of cultural foundation Cultugarve due to lack of interest from the city hall,” comments the founder of Cultugarve, the Algarve’s premier cultural agenda organisation.
The main reason for this decision is that the foundation been trying to establish a working relationship with the city hall for over a year, with no success. Letters and e-mails have remained unanswered despite the foundation funding events itself for the benefit of locals and tourists.
This one-way communication has supplied ideas to the council for more cultural and musical events and good ways of attracting more tourists to Portimão – but still nothing.
During the Carnival and yearly percussion festival in Portimão, the Cultalgarve foundation made significant sponsorship contributions, both in financial and operational terms, which were never publicly recognised by the city hall.
The vice-president of Culturgarve said of this sponsorship for the percussion festival, “There were three meetings at the city hall in 2017, with the mayor and her staff, but every meeting we had to explain all over again who we were and what we do.”
Despite the council’s studied and deliberate indifference, Cultugarve has given over 800 free concerts in Portimão in the last four years.
The founder commented that “The mayor knows this, we invited them all several times to come, but they never came. No ‘thank you’, no support, nothing.”
The foundation even tried to join organise free summertime events with local businesses in Manual Teixeira Gomes square, with a focus to attract more tourists.
“We even had to pay the harbour master to get a licence” one of the local restaurant owners said.
It seems like the City hall has enough resources, but still has no interest of working with the non-for-profit foundation to attract more tourists to Portimão.
While interviewing local residents that came to many of Cultugarve’s free concerts, it became clear that they are very unsatisfied with the city hall - “It’s a shame that we lose these free concerts due to the council’s inaction,” is the general feeling.
Cultugarve doesn’t need the hassle and says it will consider continued support and funding in Portimão but only if the council changes its approach, which seems unlikely to happen.
“Luckily we have more city halls and local city offices that are willing to work with us and reach joint goals such as an improved local economy, more music and more tourists. We will carry on!”
See: Culturgarve
