Cultural Events

‘Obrigado à Terra’ brought the celebration of contemporary ceramics to the Cadaval Palace. Over six months, 35 artists from various nationalities populated the historic halls of the Palace, in an exhibition curated by Pierre Passebon and with scenography by Cyrille Martin.
In ‘Obrigado à Terra’, ceramics summoned the four fundamental elements of life – earth, water, air, and fire – and a fifth essential element to artistic production – time.
Each exhibited work, more than 60, expressed the unique vision of its creator, reflecting different styles, techniques, and themes. Among the artists were Joana Vasconcelos, who exhibited for the first time in Évora, Yoann Estevenin, Jay Kvapil, Roger Herman, Marina Le Gall, and Adam Miller.

– For more information, visit the exhibition website

LOVE is the exhibition that brings Yves Saint Laurent’s infinite passion for Marrakech to the Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval. The bonds that unite the French fashion designer and Morocco resonate with endless possibilities and lead to new aesthetic approaches and creative connections. These moments are presented in LOVE in a line-up of three distinct and uniquely narrated chapters.

– More information on the exhibition website

In a rich three-month programme, the Festival Évora Africa showcased the largest exhibition of contemporary African art in Portugal, curated by the famous commissioner André Magnin. Co-financed by Portugal 2020, the festival took great names from the world scene to the Cadaval Palace, such as Esther Mahlangu, Romuald Hazoumè, Cheri Samba, Amadou Sanogo, JP Mika, among other African artists. The Festival also included an outstanding and unprecedented musical programme.

Twenty creations by Agatha Ruiz de la Prada were exhibited alongside the collection of the Cadaval Palace in an exhibition entitled Spectacular. In it, History and the Spanish stylist’s contemporary fantasy world intersected, resulting in an unpredictable and surprising show.

Dá Licença (“Excuse Me”) was the first exhibition by Mauro Pinto in Évora. Mauro Pinto was born in Maputo, where he lives and works, and since 2000 he has participated in individual and group exhibitions in several countries. In Dá Licença, the artist perpetuates the light, atmosphere and state of ordinary houses in the neighborhood of Mafalala, a mythical neighborhood in Maputo, the birthplace of poets, sportsmen and politicians.

The Unforgettable Wedding Gowns exhibition, curated by Hubert de Givenchy, featured pieces from major international fashion houses such as Balenciaga, Carolina Herrera, Dior, Philippe Venet, YSL and Givenchy. The Church of Saint John the Evangelist was the stage for a memorable exhibition.

The expressions of traditional and sacred music and culture from India, from the Middle East and from the Mediterranean were uniquely expressed at the Festival de Músicas Sagradas de Évora(Festival of Sacred Music in Évora). The initiative also emphasized the importance of dance as a discipline with the ability to bring different audiences together

Os Orientais (The Orientals) celebrated the expression of classical music from the East under the artistic direction of Alain Weber, the biggest name in world sacred music and, currently, at the helm of the Fez Festival and the World Sacred Spirit Festival in India. The Festival Os Orientais brought sacred music from the East to Portugal for the first time, becoming a valuable platform for the preservation of an intangible heritage at risk of extinction.

Held in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Évora Classical Festival brought to the city the grandeur of the Foundation’s choir and orchestra, as well as the exquisite work of invited musicians. The shows happened in the Cadaval Palace, the Paço’s Garden and the Loios Church.