“The thirst of waiting is only quenched by a torrent”, were the words that Sérgio Godinho used to sing, and we take these literally.

After all these months of drizzle, lockdown and slippers, we finally have the chance to meet again. And we have tried to ensure that there are lots of reasons for meeting with us in Belém.

While the Season (which we previously knew as the Temporada) was kept in the drawer, sheltered from the pandemic during the winter months, the summer has brought us an opposite situation and the need to build an intense and diversified programme, a second season that we will call our Destemporada. This includes projects that could not be presented at the time for which they were planned, but also new invitations addressed to artists, new projects for exhibition and performances at the Fábrica das Artes and the reopening of the architecture exhibitions at the Garagem Sul.

The Centro Cultural de Belém will be in full activity during the summer months, presenting erudite music, theatre and dance in its auditoria and celebrating the summer nights on the stage in the CCB Plaza. Designed by the architect Ricardo Bak Gordon as a beach composed of cork terraces, this stage could only be built thanks to our longstanding partnership with Amorim Isolamentos. There will also be no shortage of activities for families, such as our Pilates or Yoga mornings, concerts, debates and talks, a genuine “torrent” of reasons for coming here.

To make this return possible, we benefited from the fundamental collaboration of the artists, performers and companies who adjusted their agendas to fit in with ours, as well as the institutions, such as the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, Festival de Almada or Teatro Nacional São João, who will be presenting their productions here.

We wish to thank everyone for their support and collaboration.

Now, it’s down to you: we’re here, waiting for you, ready and prepared, with all the necessary precautions in place. We’re sure that, this summer, our “beach” will also be to your liking. – Delfim Sardo – Director