In recent years, Lisbon has attracted a growing creative freelancer community. Creativity is already implanted within the city with the annual presence of the Websummit and all the digital nomads living in the capital.
In the field of Art & Design, there have also been developments. Lisbon has been renowned for years for its architecture and for its azuleijos (tiles). Until recently the choice of art pieces and design furniture has been relatively limited in comparison to other cities. In the field of contemporary art, a few established Portuguese galleries based in Lisbon were already well known on the international scene, but it is only more recently, with the arrival of younger local and international galleries that it has created an interesting mix. Similarly, the craft and design sector is growing. Lisbon is becoming a dynamic place for creation with the opening of many collective ateliers encouraging collaborations. International designers have opened studios in central locations where they show their work process and share ideas on important issues. These newcomers show a huge admiration and respect for the country, for its artisans’ remarkable skills and for the exceptional surrounding nature. They seek collaborations with local artisans, share ideas with local colleagues and contribute to the broadening of the conversations around design. There are joined by young designers with a strong motivation to make an impact on eco-social sustainability, realising that design has an important role to play. From an audience perspective, participation is increasing with attendance at opening shows very high. Finally, there is a sense of community at various levels. Many excellent initiatives have popped up to preserve and develop craftsmanship and assist the makers in developing their businesses.
One of the missing pieces is still probably to let the public know about all these amazing initiatives. By linking creative places together, we hope to give a taste of what the city can offer.
Albert Einstein famously said: “Creativity is contagious, pass it on”.
Michèle Fajtmann, co-founder of LDW
Image courtesy of: Filiz Elaerts / Unsplash
