While in conversation with Cláudia Cibrão, head of the Mediation Program for the Portuguese Capital of Culture, we gained a better understanding of the direct impact that audience mediation has on citizens’ daily lives and the potential for creating long-term cultural consumption habits.
Braga 25 – Sometimes, the work of audience mediation might seem more invisible. Can you explain the scope of the Braga 25 Mediation Program and how it fits into the Portuguese Capital of Culture program?
Cláudia Cibrão – The Braga 25 Mediation Program seeks to be a bridge between artists, cultural agents, and citizens, bringing the Portuguese Capital of Culture program closer to everyone—from those who already actively participate in the city’s cultural life to those who rarely have such contact. We work in very different formats: some days we are with a group of 20 participants, working closely with them, and others we meet hundreds of people at a single event. Both dimensions are necessary, because the relationship with culture varies from person to person.
In fact, the impact is not limited to the moment itself—it can begin before and continue after each event or activity. In the Porta do Cuidar cycle, for example, we bring curators and artists from other projects in the initiative to the conversation, helping to broaden the themes and actions; in the B25 Guided Tours, we propose monthly itineraries for the different scheduled activities, supporting their dissemination and enjoyment; and in the Volunteer Program, we bring in citizens who do not work in the sector to actively assist the projects throughout the year, creating close and constant contact, enriched by both sides of this experience – for those who welcome and those who participate.
Our scope of action is, for all these reasons, intentionally diverse: we work in schools, we bring together associations, we work with institutions and groups at risk of exclusion, artists and agents, often leaving our spaces to meet people—from the Salão Nobre of the Theatro Circo to parish council auditoriums or classrooms. In everything we do, we seek to create opportunities for bringing the population, the cultural sector, and the initiative closer together, and that is what we believe can make this year so special: this willingness to step outside our comfort zone.
B25 – Can you identify the impact of the program on people’s lives? Is there any project within the Braga 25 Mediation Program where this impact is more obvious or visible?
CC – The impact is mainly seen in subtle but profound changes in people’s relationship with culture. When someone who had never been to a theater returns on their own initiative, or when a school group transforms an activity developed in a workshop into a project idea, we realize that mediation is fulfilling its role.
We recently worked with a group of unmotivated children who were convinced that the activity would not bring them anything special. In the end, they left enthusiastic and ready to talk to their families about participating in other activities outside of school. This proves that these moments of closeness are essential to generating long-term results—and that, to do so, patience and dedication are needed to reap the rewards later. The same is true of Generation B25+, a group that has been with us for years: we see the individual development of each young person and, at the same time, their ability to help us reach others. The Volunteer Program also has this multiplier effect, creating bonds and new cultural habits that last. All of this requires time, listening, consistency, and, above all, valuing each person, regardless of their starting point.
B25 – What do you consider to be the biggest challenge when it comes to attracting new audiences?
CC – The biggest challenge is to break down the idea that “culture is not for me.” Often it is not a lack of interest, but rather invisible barriers: incompatible schedules, prices, physical distance, or simply a lack of references. It takes time and accessible content for people to feel included and represented in the programming. This means listening more than talking, adapting formats, and often bringing culture to where people are. Only then can we create the first positive experience—the one that opens the door to all the others.
B25 – What actions or events from this year would you highlight until the end of the year? And why?
CC – Until the end of the year, I would highlight four very different moments, although all within the Portas de Entrada Program. The first is Porta do Fazer, which will still have two of the three workshops planned for 2025. Each session brings together a group or association from the city with a nationally recognized artist to work on local or regional know-how. It is an opportunity to combine ancient traditions and practices with new artistic languages, creating something new without losing the connection to the cultural roots that gave rise to them.
Another special moment will be the conclusion of Porta do Comer. After the three gastronomic workshops held throughout the year, we will now have a kind of temporary restaurant that will bring back the six chefs who worked with us, giving the public the chance to taste the dishes created for these experiences. Finally, there will also be a last chance to participate in Porta do Lembrar: we will present an unlikely itinerary led by a non-professional guide from the city, where the focus will be on the memories and personal stories of the guide, rather than on monuments or places. It is a way of getting to know Braga through the eyes and lives of those who inhabit it.