Opening of the Doors of Hope in Portugal
In Portugal, two artist residencies have already been set up in two prisons thanks to collaboration with the Portuguese Ministry of Justice – Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services, with the support of ZET – Gallery and Fundação Jornada. The projects were carried out at the Leiria Penitentiary School (which houses a juvenile prison population) by artist Ilídio Candja and at the Tires Penitentiary (reserved for mothers imprisoned with their children) by artist Fernanda Fragateiro.
Rita Júdice, Minister of Justice of the Portuguese Republic, recalled how “the doors of justice must always remain open to new opportunities. For prisoners, art allows them to develop a desire for justice and experience an extraordinary feeling of freedom”.
Leiria Penitentiary School by artist Ilídio Candja.
Tires Penitentiary curated by artist Fernanda Fragateiro.
“As portas que a poesia abriu” foi o título que escolhi para unir as residências artísticas e intervenções de @ilidiocandjacandja e @ffragateiro , respetivamente, nos Estabelecimentos Prisionais de Leiria - Jovens e Tires, e que que consubstanciam a participação portuguesa no projeto internacional “As Portas da Esperança - Jubileu 2025”. No passado dia 28 de novembro, inaugurámos as intervenções.
Helena Mendes Pereira
“As portas que a poesia abriu” (The doors that poetry has opened) is the title of the artistic residencies of @ilidiocandjacandja and @ffragateiro, @ilidiocandjacandja and @ffragateiro, respectively, in the prisons of Leiria - Giovanni and Tires, which embody Portugal's participation in the international project “The doors of hope - Jubilee 2025”. The interventions were inaugurated on the 28th of November.
Helena Mendes Pereira
Press Release / Repercursão na Imprensa:
Expresso 28/11/2025
Publico 30/11/ 2025
Casa das mães, na prisão de Tires, ganhou uma nova cor com projecto feito com reclusas
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