Category: Notícia

Over the weekend of 28 February and 1 March, visiting the Centro Cultural de Belém will carry a special meaning. All ticket revenue from MAC/CCB – Museum of Contemporary Art and Architecture Centre, and from Mahler’s Das klagende Lied concert will be donated to the Association of Philharmonic Bands of the Municipality of Leiria and to Sport Operário Marinhense.

These two cultural associations, deeply rooted in their local communities, were recently affected by Storm Kristin, which caused extensive damage to their facilities and disrupted the continuity of their regular activities.

Mahler’s Das klagende Lied concert takes place in partnership with OPART and the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos. This collaboration underlines the importance of solidarity between cultural institutions, particularly at moments when it is essential to support those who work every day to sustain culture and widen access to artistic creation.

This charitable initiative stems from a sincere desire to ensure that the work carried out by these associations within their communities can continue with the same dedication, closeness and impact.

 

Visit CCB and take part in this act of solidarity.
Because supporting culture also means taking care of those who build it, day after day.

On 2 February, the Centro Cultural de Belém Foundation (FCCB) and Museus e Monumentos de Portugal (MMP) signed an institutional cooperation agreement establishing the transfer, on loan, of works from the Ellipse Collection to the FCCB.

Integrated into the State Contemporary Art Collection (CACE) since November 2023, the Ellipse Collection is one of the core holdings of the country’s largest public collection of contemporary art.

Under this agreement, MAC/CCB will have preferential access to works from the Ellipse Collection, ensuring a continued public presentation, a consistent programme line, and greater international projection of the public collection.

The protocol now signed strengthens institutional cooperation between the FCCB and MMP, recognising MAC/CCB as a central hub for contemporary art in Portugal.

The Board of Directors of Centro Cultural de Belém, together with Atelier O Risco, presented this Monday to the Vice President of Lisbon City Council the main outlines of the project for the construction of Modules 4 and 5.

This moment of sharing reinforced institutional alignment and highlighted the strategic importance of this development for the city. The project resumes and extends the original architectural layout conceived in the late 1980s by the architects Vittorio Gregotti and Manuel Salgado, authors of the CCB’s original master plan.

From the outset, the initial project envisaged the construction of Modules 4 and 5, alongside the existing Modules 1, 2 and 3, which house the Congress and Meeting Centre, the Performing Arts Centre and the MAC/CCB.

The Minister for Culture, Youth and Sport, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, spent part of 15 December at the Centro Cultural de Belém, where she had the chance to see at close hand the work carried out by the various departments.

The visit included moments of open conversation with the teams, focusing on day to day challenges and on the projects planned for 2026. There was a genuine sense of exchange, with ideas flowing naturally and priorities taking shape through dialogue.

The day came to a close with the award ceremony for the AICA/Ministry of Culture/Millennium bcp Visual Arts and Architecture 2024 Prizes, which honoured the artist Júlia Ventura and the architect Pedro Domingos.

 

 

The Centro Cultural de Belém Foundation has secured funding of 2.5 million euros under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, within the investment programme “RE C04 i02 – Cultural Heritage”. The goal is to carry out a set of strategic projects that will renew and enhance its infrastructures.

The Financing Agreement was signed on the 10 July and establishes that all investments must be completed by the 30 June 2026.

This full support, covering one hundred per cent of the eligible total value excluding VAT, will be directed towards interventions that promote energy efficiency, technological modernisation and the safeguarding of built cultural heritage. These measures ensure that the CCB continues to affirm itself as one of the country’s leading cultural centres.

“This is a moment of great significance for the Centro Cultural de Belém Foundation. Securing this funding acknowledges the importance of our work and the heritage value of the CCB. Through these interventions, we address long identified needs within our teams, ensuring that the CCB remains fully aligned with its cultural, institutional and civic mission. We continue to uphold the levels of quality, comfort and innovation that our audience and our partners expect and deserve.”

Nuno Vassallo e Silva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CCB Foundation.

 

Projects with a direct impact on cultural activity

The planned interventions focus on several structural areas of the CCB complex:

 

• Installation of HVAC in the MAC/CCB, improving thermal and environmental conditions through the replacement and modernisation of climate control systems. This includes replacing the cold and hot water circulation pumps with new equipment that consumes significantly less energy, approximately sixty five per cent less.
• Centralised technical management of the MAC/CCB, renewing monitoring and control systems with the aim of achieving both energy and functional optimisation. This involves implementing a new platform for data collection and energy performance analysis, guiding the building towards its carbon emission reduction targets.
• LED stage and architectural lighting in the auditoriums, upgrading the technical and artistic lighting of the CCB’s auditoriums, together with the replacement of electrical panels and dimmers. The new architectural lighting in the Grand Auditorium will consume four times less energy, resulting in a considerable reduction in energy use.
• Acquisition of lighting and audiovisual equipment, investing in cutting edge technology for the Conference Centre and other programming spaces. This will provide greater versatility and improved technical quality for events, while continuing the technological transition to more efficient solutions.

 

These projects will be carried out through public tenders, which have already been published, ensuring complete transparency and competitiveness in the procurement process.

 

Heritage enhancement

This funding is part of the Culture component of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which seeks, among other aims, to renew emblematic cultural facilities and adapt them to contemporary challenges, particularly environmental sustainability and digital transition.

The intervention at the CCB, supported by the Cultural Heritage Safeguard Fund, is a clear sign of the value placed on the CCB’s role as a space for creation, enjoyment and preservation of culture.

Beyond the technical dimension, the investments now approved reinforce the Foundation’s public mission by ensuring better conditions for welcoming artists, audiences and institutional partners, both national and international.

The CCB expresses its gratitude to all its employees, whose professionalism, dedication and vision made this moment possible. The implementation of these projects will be carried out with the same rigour and excellence that have shaped the institution’s history since its foundation.

 

The Centro Cultural de Belém Foundation and the Alves Ribeiro Group formalised, on the 15 July 2025, the signing of the sub-concession agreement for the surface rights that will allow the construction and operation of Buildings 4 and 5. This is a major project that reinforces the vision of a complete and integrated CCB, fully committed to the city, to culture and to urban life.

The ceremony brought together representatives of the CCB Foundation, members of the jury of the international competition launched in October 2023 and the Board of the Alves Ribeiro Group, which won the procedure.

The contract, valid for 65 years, outlines the construction of a 4-star hotel (or higher), with 161 rooms, an aparthotel with 126 units and a commercial and services area, reaching a total construction surface of around 32,500 square metres. It is an operation that brings together heritage enhancement, economic dynamism and institutional sustainability.

Geological surveys and geotechnical studies will begin at the end of July. Demolition works, excavations and containment structures will start in early July 2026, with an estimated duration of one year. The opening of Buildings 4 and 5 is planned for July 2029.

 

 

Construction with responsibility and na urban vision

The project continues and develops the foundational layout conceived in the late 80’s by the architects Vittorio Gregotti and Manuel Salgado, authors of the original CCB master plan, which already included Buildings 4 and 5 alongside Buildings 1, 2 and 3, corresponding respectively to the Congress Centre, the Performing Arts Centre and the current MAC/CCB museum.

This expansion strengthens the CCB’s role as a place of cultural, social and economic convergence, deepening its presence within the urban fabric of Lisbon.

The revenue generated by the sub-concession will be directed towards cultural programming and towards strengthening the financial capacity of the CCB Foundation. It is also expected to create valuable commercial synergies that this project is likely to unlock.

The operation represents an investment in the improvement of public space and in the promotion of new ways of living and experiencing the city.

 

 

“A gesture of confidence in the future”

In his remarks after the signing of the contract, the President of the CCB Foundation, Nuno Vassallo e Silva, stated that “more than an urban development project, this is also an act of belief. A gesture of confidence in the future of Lisbon and Portugal. At a time when so many doubt, hesitate or hold back, we move forward. We invest. We believe. Because we know that the country has unique qualities, talent, sensitivity, history and an extraordinary ability to reinvent itself.”

The Chairman of the Board of the Alves Ribeiro Group, Nuno Pereira de Sousa, emphasised the strategic importance and the high urban and cultural value of this project, noting that “our proposal sought to respect the CCB’s identity and offer solutions that enhance the space, respond to contemporary challenges and create new experiences for all the audiences who gather here.”

Also present at the ceremony, the architect Manuel Salgado noted that “there must be few buildings with the high level of conservation seen at the CCB”, expressing his satisfaction that the Alves Ribeiro Group will be responsible for the construction of Buildings 4 and 5.

It should be recalled that the international competition was relaunched in October 2023, following the suspension of the previous process due to the pandemic context. The proposal presented by the Alves Ribeiro Group stood out for its technical solidity, landscape integration, functional sustainability and respect for the architectural identity of the CCB.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, and the Secretary of State for Culture, Alberto Santos, visited the Centro Cultural de Belém on the 30 June for a working meeting with the Board of the Centro Cultural de Belém Foundation. The visit formed part of a cycle of institutional contacts with the country’s main cultural institutions, promoted by the Ministry of Culture.

During the meeting, the CCB’s leadership presented the key projects currently under way, with a particular focus on investments in environmental sustainability and energy efficiency, an area that has been a clear priority for the current administration. One of the most striking moments of the visit was the climb to the building’s rooftop, where the members of Government were able to see the newly installed photovoltaic panels up close. These panels already allow the Foundation to save 30% on its energy bill, a value that will be reinvested in programming.

The Minister of Culture expressed her appreciation for the work carried out by the CCB Foundation in this field and underlined the importance of the example set by cultural institutions in promoting a culture of sustainability. She also highlighted the relevance of the CCB as a centre for creation, enjoyment and cultural debate, praising both the diversity of its programme and its ability to attract national and international audiences.

The meeting also addressed other strategic matters for the future of the Centro Cultural de Belém, including the strengthening of cultural offerings, the modernisation of infrastructures, the enhancement of the complex’s architectural and artistic heritage and its role in supporting the vitality of Portugal’s cultural sector.

The Foundation’s administration reaffirmed its commitment to continuing to invest in the excellence of its programming and in the institution’s long term sustainability, ensuring that the CCB remains an essential reference point in Portuguese culture.