MOSTRA – Rural Arts Festival returns in 2026 and expands its scope to include Água das Casas, Matagosa, Abrantes and Fontes, with events taking place between 25 and 27 September and 3 and 4 October.

Organised by Mundo em Reboliço, MOSTRA builds on the work carried out in recent years in Água das Casas, where artists and local residents have forged connections based on the village’s stories, traditions and places.

In 2026, this work will extend to other parts of the municipality of Abrantes, bringing different localities closer together through artistic initiatives designed for rural contexts and for the people who live there.

Over five days, the programme brings together dance, music, theatre, publishing, visual arts, workshops and gatherings. Participants include Anacleto Guia, Bule-Bule, Grupo de Teatro do Souto, José Martinho Gaspar, Marta Coutinho and MOURA, with activities taking place in village halls, a church, a museum and the Largo do Coreto.

This edition also includes a performance of “Guarda-Rios” by José Martinho Gaspar, works linked to the mural created by Anacleto Guia, productions by the Souto Theatre Group and various events dedicated to music and dance, maintaining the connection between artistic creation, the local area and community involvement that has guided the MOSTRA since its inception.

PROGRAMME

25 September

Água das Casas | Água das Casas Village Hall

10.00–16.00 | National Arts Plan, Artists’ meetings in schools

26 September

Água das Casas / Matagosa

10.30 am | Água das Casas Village Hall, ‘Bule-Bule’ workshop, with Marta Coutinho, Ruca Rebordão and Paulo Pereira

4.00 pm | Matagosa Church, ‘MOURA’ concert, with Pedro Moura and Bruna de Moura. Free admission

5.00 pm | Água das Casas Village Hall, Launch of the book “Guarda-Rios” by José Martinho Gaspar

7.00 pm | Água das Casas Village Hall, “Bule-Bule” with Marta Coutinho, Ruca Rebordão and Paulo Pereira

27 September

Água das Casas | Água das Casas Village Hall

3.00 pm | “Projetar o Souto”, by Cuca M. Pires, performed by the Souto Theatre Group

3 October

Abrantes | Charters de Almeida Museum of Contemporary Art

3.00 pm | Presentation of the book “Guarda-Rios”, by José Martinho Gaspar, and a slide show of photographs of Anacleto Guia’s mural

4.30 pm | “Portuguese Guitar” concert, with Pedro Moura

4 October

Fontes | Largo do Coreto

3.00 pm | Presentation of the book “Guarda-Rios”, by José Martinho Gaspar, and a slide show of photographs of the mural by Anacleto Guia

4.30 pm | “Creative Dances of the World” workshop, with Marta Coutinho

THE EXHIBITION began in Água das Casas, stemming from a project that engaged closely with the village, its stories, memories and inhabitants.

In 2024, Mundo em Reboliço presented the Exhibition’s Year Zero, an initial public event that brought together artists, residents and people connected to the village to share local memories, objects and stories.

In 2025, the Festival deepened this work through workshops, creative processes and presentations in film, dance, theatre, mural art and publishing, developed in Água das Casas, Matagosinha and Abrantes.

In 2026, the project adopted the name MOSTRA – Encontro de Artes em Espaço Rural (MOSTRA – Arts Encounter in Rural Areas) and expanded its geographical reach. Água das Casas remains one of its key locations, but the programme now extends to Matagosa, Abrantes and Fontes, forging new connections between artists, residents, cultural venues and localities across the municipality.