English

Press release

Following several exchanges of messages, developed by artists, designers, curators, producers, and cultural managers, through WhatsApp, as well as online meetings initiated on March 22, Ana Fonseca, António Cerveira Pinto, Carlos Moura-Carvalho, Fernando Pina, Fernando Ribeiro, Manuel Casimiro, Rodrigo Bettencourt Câmara, Regina Frank, Thuy Tien, and Valentim Quaresma decided to launch a movement to resist the gravest effects of the economic, social and cultural crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, with special emphasis on the various areas of visual arts. This movement, called SOS ARTE PT, will, as soon as circumstances permit, become a cultural association. Matters are now urgent, but the challenges of the pandemic will be tough and prolonged. Thus, a wide congregation of efforts to defend artistic culture in our country and in the world is justified.

At an online meeting on 1 April 2020, the founders approved the document below and decided to continue all actions registered therein.

Manifest

1. Name: SOS ARTE PT

2. Who can belong to this movement: professionals of the arts, including creators, critics, curators, producers, historians, teachers, and cultural managers.

3. What are the objectives of the movement: 

3.1-Promote the recognition of the economic, social, educational and cultural importance of artistic activity, defending and respecting the economic, professional and social interests of its participants, also through the creation of the SOS ARTE PT Fund. 

3.2—Responding to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on artistic activity, including through a plan to help the protagonists hardest hit by this crisis by creating Protection Circles that identify the main bottlenecks of cultural activity. These circles are divided into categories: 

A) conceptual circles: creation and criticism, production, education and aesthetic reception, conservation, historiography and museology, curatorship; 

B) geographical circles; 

C) generational circles; 

D) gender circles.

4. Geographical scope: national

5. Who are the founders: all those who subscribe to this document by the end of April 2020.

6. Who is responsible for the management of the movement: to a group of 9 to 15 people who will assume the responsibility of developing the discussions and actions necessary for the consolidation of the movement SOS ARTE PT. For now are: Ana Fonseca, António Cerveira Pinto, Carlos Moura-Carvalho, Fátima Lambert, Fernando Ribeiro, Fernando Pina, Manuel Casimiro, Regina Frank, Rodrigo Bettencourt Câmara, Thuy Tien, and Valentim Quaresma.

7. Program of Action, first five measures:

7.1 The creation of the SOS ARTE PT Fund, which brings together public and private funding that helps ensure social protection for all professionals in the arts during the period of the impossibility of holding exhibitions, performances, conferences and other activities; 

7.2 Readjustment of the strategy of the National Arts Plan in order to immediately integrate activities adapted to the new reality we live, using arts professionals who have seen their activities and jobs cease because of COVID-19; 

7.3 To propose to the Government that all proposals and mappings of the various organizations, universities, foundations, associations, and movements of the arts that have been carried out and to be carried out be brought together in a single platform/Site, with a view to an effective and comprehensive collection and processing of information. This platform should be under the responsibility of the areas of the economy, including statistics, and culture;

7.4 Promote an online exhibition, to which we gave the title "100 days of quarantine" — 100 days, 100 artists, 100 works. The works gathered will form part of the future SOS ARTE PT Fund.

7.5 Launch of atelier scholarship 3.6.9 — an online platform for the temporary search and supply of studios for artists, at zero cost (for periods of 3, 6 and 9 months).

8. Franchising: We foster the franchising of this concept for other countries and share it with our fellow artists and friends in China, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Spain, the USA, UK, and Vietnam.