15 JUN 2020
Press Releases
Prata Riverside Village makes rooms available for artistic production
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Protocol signed between VIC Properties and Plataforma P’la Arte
 aimed at safeguarding and promoting the country’s culture

Lisbon, June 15, 2020. VIC Properties SA (“VIC Properties”) has just signed a protocol with P’la Arte Platform aimed at making rooms available at Prata Riverside Village, the only project signed in Portugal by architect Renzo Piano, free of charge for artists who, faced with the extreme situation caused by the pandemic, found themselves without a place to work and, therefore, we not able to develop their artistic production.

Valid for one year, this pro bono partnership with P’la Arte (a platform aimed at enhancing the role of art in all aspects of Portuguese society) comprises the transformation of two commercial spaces, located on the ground floor of one of the buildings of Prata Riverside Village, into temporary residences for visual artists and creators.

Hence, since June 11 artists like Valentim Quaresma, Ana Fonseca, Sofia Castro and Cecília Costa are found a home at Prata Riverside Village.

This protocol also intends to promote initiatives of a cultural nature, namely exhibitions, events, talks and conferences, proposals suited to the spaces provided and which offers citizens the opportunity for closer contact with art and artists.

Given its unique location, a “small village by the river” built from scratch in the natural continuation of Parque das Nações, assisted by the Orient Riverside Garden and privileged access to the Tagus river, Prata Riverside Village is poised to become a source of inspiration for artists residing in these spaces, either given its location or considering that this project itself is the work of one of the most renowned names in world architecture and winner of the 1998 Pritzker Prize.

“It is a pleasure for us to sign this protocol with P’la Arte Platform, offering our support to minimize the tremendous negative impact, at the creative and economic level, that this pandemic is causing in the artistic scene”,

Said Luís Gamboa , VIC Properties COO. “This partnership reinforces the principles and values of VIC Properties and its commitment to safeguarding and bet on art and culture, and those of Prata Riverside Village, a project designed for a living and open community, in which culture and contemporary art are essential elements, revamping and bring to life an area of the city that had been left to its own devices for decades”.

For Carlos Moura-Carvalho, one of the Founders of the recently created Plataforma P’la Arte,

“this pioneering protocol embodies one of the elements that we consider essential for art to take the place it deserves in all aspects of Portuguese society, bringing artists and their creative process closer to both companies and the general public. We wish to enhance this objective through reflection and sharing of contemporary themes, the signing of partnerships with public and private entities, both national and international, content production, promotion of conversations, debates, exhibitions, artistic residencies and creative laboratories”.

Hence, by “making rooms available in such a prestigious project, designed by a great architect and with a unique location, we will be able to assist the development of creative spaces for artists, open to clients and workers, promoting the sharing of ideas with resident artists about works in progress, among many other opportunities ”, added Carlos Moura-Carvalho.

“This project aims at bringing art closer to companies, prestige institutions and put Lisbon under the spotlight in a pioneering action in times of crisis. There have been many, many artists who have lost a place to work in the past months. Solutions are urgently needed. Other partnerships are already being established. We are sure that Art will help us to overcome the times ahead,”concluded Carlos Moura-Carvalho.