By Eduardo Quive
In a context where access to international networks remains one of the main challenges for artists from PALOP countries, the Victor Córdon Studios have established themselves as a fundamental space for creation, exchange, and circulation, with a particular impact on Mozambican creators. OPART – Organismo de Produção Artística (Artistic Production Organization) is the public business entity responsible for managing the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos (São Carlos National Theatre), the Companhia Nacional de Bailado (National Ballet Company), and the Victor Córdon Studios, with a public service mission to work in the areas of music, opera, and ballet.
We spoke in Lisbon with the Portuguese choreographer Rui Lopes Graça, director of the EVC — a creative platform supporting the independent artistic community and a space for creation, experimentation, and dialogue — who explained that the objectives of the initiatives developed by the EVC are the result of a concern with the contemporary social and political context.
Regarding the initiatives developed with the PALOP (Portuguese-speaking African Countries), “the original motivation was driven by a great concern about the rise of the far-right in Portugal. For several years, a certain type of discourse had been emerging. On the other hand, I was always very surprised that the relationship of the common Portuguese language between several countries was not something permanent and was often promoted in the wake of anniversaries. No foundation is created, nor are mechanisms developed within institutions that allow for a permanent relationship.”
In the face of a social context that seeks to erect borders and barriers, the response was to put culture into action as “a way to break the discourse of hate,” normalizing “the presence of migrant communities within institutional spaces.”
The Victor Córdon Studios, explained Rui Lopes Graça as he guided us through the spaces where dance talents and professionals are shaped, propose a structured integration model that includes artistic residencies accompanied by mentoring actions; access to the creation and circulation of shows; and direct contact with leading cultural institutions, such as theaters and foundations in Portugal and Europe. This logic has allowed Mozambican artists to develop their projects in dialogue with the European context, creating concrete opportunities for circulation. In partnership with institutions such as the Camões – Portuguese Cultural Centre, it has been possible to create conditions for artists to better explore their potential and establish connections with important international cultural agents, thus projecting their careers.
“The goal is really circulation and networking. If an artist gets a commission or a performance abroad, it’s already been worthwhile.” Finding in language the ignition for relations between Portugal and the PALOP (Portuguese-speaking African Countries) leads to further exploration of the language’s potential, aiming for common development.
“There is an unspeakable conception of the world. There is an unspeakable form of communication about what is around us and our way of seeing the world. However, this is also very much linked to the matrix we have built since we were born. At birth, language is something that shapes us. In the case of Mozambique, it is not just one language. There are several. Our way of thinking is intimately linked to the construction of language and the form of expression. Mozambique has this richness of possessing other languages in addition to the Portuguese language,” said Rui Lopes Graça.
Aware of the realities of the PALOP countries — and Mozambique in particular, where he lived until leaving for Portugal at the age of 11 — the choreographer recognizes the challenges of professionalization in dance.
“In Mozambique it is very difficult to live off art, unless you already have an established path.” And he points to names that are now internationally established, such as Edivaldo Ernesto, Edna Jaime, Horácio Macuácua, Ídio Chichava and Panaíbra Canda, among others.
Other artists who have worked at EVC include Amélia Socovinho, Carolina Manuel, Dinís Quilavei, Diogo Igor Amaral, Francisca Mirine, José Jalane, Leia Mabasso, Mai Juli Machado, Osvaldo Passirivo, Vasco Sitoe, and Yuck Miranda, among others.
By creating working conditions, visibility, and connections with international networks, the space helps artists consolidate their careers and assert their practices beyond their original contexts.
In a global scenario where cultural exchanges often remain sporadic and dependent on commemorative dates, the project advocates continuity as a principle.
“It has to be a permanent action,” concluded Rui Lopes Graça.
