With desencaminharte, i was responsible for creating the concept, program, production, logistics, design, media and communication. It was an hectic project with a tiny team over 10 municipalities at the same time. Bárbara Sobrado, Sarah Klimsch and Francisco Babo were my teammates.
In 2017, the festival presented itself as the largest in natural landscape covering an area of 2210 km2 of river, mountain and sea.
desencaminharte was born with an application to European funding to promote regions. CIM – Alto Minho won the opportunity to value its natural heritage. The municipalities involved were Arcos de Valdevez, Caminha, Melgaço, Monção, Ponte da Barca, Ponte de Lima, Paredes de Coura, Valença, Viana do Castelo e Vila Nova de Cerveira.
A four day program was drawn between the 1st and 4th June in 10 different locations.
One of our conclusions in the end of the first edition was the silliness to disperse so much effort and people in such a short time period with no ease to contemplate nature.
Workshops, concerts, performances and presentations, local community based activities in relation with nature already operating in the territory
There were also local markets, with regional and artistic products, folk art and photography contests, outdoor camping.
As a public art festival, the intention was to use art as an attraction to remote places.
Given we hardly can make something to look at better than nature, the conclusion was obvious for a second edition: build shelters to contemplate. We did well but in an inverted logic to a place which is trying to show off how good it is to walk and sightseeing.
It was our intention that the art works had a temporary lifespan. It was defined they should hold for two years.