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Marco Martins & Arena EnsembleFiction/Non-Fiction
Drawing on collaborative creative practices developed over the last twenty years, the artist Marco Martins and the Arena Ensemble propose, in this workshop, a reflection on the company’s community-based creative methodologies and the sharing of some of its working principles and methods.Over four days, a diverse group of participants will work actively on creating a short biographical performance, in which they themselves will be the performers. Through exercises and practical examples, the initiative offers a reflection on the various stages of the creative process, integrating biographical research, text construction, stage techniques and processes of artistic co-responsibility.Colectivos Pláka: 6–9 May 2026Target audience: Artists, creators, academics, cultural mediators and non-actors.Registration: Until 26 April*Price: €25 per person**Language: PortugueseVenue: A PiSCiNA — Rua de Santa Catarina 132, Porto*Registrations must be made by email to plaka@agoraporto.pt, providing the following information: name, age, profession or occupation, telephone number and a brief CV. Limited to 20 participants.** 50% discount for: Porto Card holders; those aged 65 and over; students; arts and culture professionals; unemployed people; employees of Porto City Council and Porto municipal companies.Full programme and additional information available here.
Image: "A Colónia". Photo by Tomás Vieira. -
Friday, 8 May, at 6.30 pm
Fiction/Non-fiction: Public Session with Inês Nadais
In this public session, Inês Nadais, culture editor at Público, will discuss the social impact within and beyond communities, drawing on the work of the Arena Ensemble.Admission is free.
Venue: A PiSCiNA — Rua de Santa Catarina 132, Porto
Image: "Um Inimigo do Povo". Photo by Laís Rocha / Theatro Circo. -
Saturday, 9 May, at 5.00 pm
Fiction/Non-fiction: Public Session – Presentation of works
This will be the final session of the programme, in which participants will give a public presentation of their work carried out over the four days of the workshop.Admission is free.
Venue: A PiSCiNA — Rua de Santa Catarina 132, Porto
Image: "Um Inimigo do Povo". Photo by Laís Rocha / Theatro Circo. -
May
Colectivos Pláka: Marco Martins
Colectivos Pláka is a programme of studies on contemporary society and art that promotes encounters between thought and practice, creating spaces for dialogue, learning and sharing.The first course of the 2026 edition is coordinated by Marco Martins, a director and filmmaker who has established himself as a unique voice in the Portuguese artistic scene. With an extensive body of work spanning various disciplines, from cinema to theatre and the visual arts, Martins' work has progressively anchored itself at the intersection of various performative languages, collaborating with non-actors and specific communities through long, creative, community-based processes with a strong choreographic element. The course will take place during the first week of May at a location to be confirmed.
