Barlos 2023

For the second year of the festival, Couto-Mixto has re-established its alliance with local cultural agents to promote culture in the city of Barcelos. Barlos aims to promote interaction between local crafts and contemporary artistic languages. This time a more comprehensive programme has been presented, with music, creative residencies, exhibitions, talks, workshops, performances, themed meals, a walk and a fair.

Among the highlights of this edition were a concert by local band Glockenwise, the debut of French band Société Etrange and the traditional musical incursions of the Soalhas. The clubbing section was represented by DJs King Kami and Patrícia Brito. The three creative residencies involved the Banda Plástica de Barcelos, the Orfeão de Barcelos Choir, potter João Lourenço, artists Catarina Bessa Lucas and Joana Patrão, as well as the duo Inês Tartaruga Água and Xavier Paes. As part of the workshops, there were two unique opportunities to interact with local ceramics masters, António Ramalho and Prazeres Côta, covering techniques for producing and painting figurines. A workshop on playing and singing the adufe, led by the Soalhas collective, was also offered to younger audiences. Two exhibitions were also presented: one resulting from the Workshop in Pottery and Ceramics Design (WOC); and a group show curated by Maria Miguel von Hafe, which looked at the overlap between utilitarian ceramics and contemporary art. Once again, the Barlos Shopping Centre served as the focal point, with activities extending throughout the historic centre of Barcelos.

Barlos 2023 was promoted in collaboration with A Macho Alfa - Associação Cultural and Lovers & Lollypops; it had the following partners: Artworks, Casa do Xisto, RUN-EU, IPCA - Escola Superior de Design, Zoom - Associação Cultural and RUM - Rádio Universitária do Minho; and the patron Alec.Group. The project was made possible with the support of the Portuguese National Republic, the Portuguese Arts Council (DGArtes) and the Municipality of Barcelos.