The São Bento de Cástris Monastery in Évora was the chosen venue for the national launch of the Culture Program, co-financed by EEA GRANTS for the period 2021-2028. The event was attended by the Mayor of Évora, Carlos Zorrinho, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, the President of the Évora _27 Association, Maria do Céu Ramos, and representatives from Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
Carlos Zorrinho highlighted the monastery's future role as a Southern House of Music, a legacy for Évora, the Alentejo region, and Portuguese and European culture. The mayor urged for a shift in the 'negative perception of Alentejo's culture,' believing the region can attract people and investments by offering quality of life and time control.
The Culture Program has a total budget of approximately €11 million, primarily from funds from Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, with national co-financing. The funds will support artistic creation, digitalization, and heritage safeguarding, focusing on sustainable revitalization, climate change adaptation, research, and promoting cultural diversity and inclusion, particularly in low-density population areas.
The EEA Grants is a financial mechanism supporting European Union member states with significant deviations from the European average GDP per capita, including Portugal.
