Portugal is increasingly becoming a hub for creativity, and it is fighting to gain more space and recognition on the overcrowded art world. And, at the moment, it seems that the hard work is paying off. With a successful second edition of ARCOlisboa, the opening of wonderful spaces like Francisco Fino Gallery, and the decentralization from its two main cities (Lisbon and Porto) with initiatives like Jardins Efémeros, it seems that the country is living a kind of renaissance and wants to share it with the world. Walk & Talk Azores is a great example of that: inviting creative agents from around the globe for the last seven years, the festival is contributing to position the volcanic archipelago as a must-visit place for art lovers.
The festival was founded by Jesse James and Diana Sousa in 2011 and, since then, they’ve achieved to host more than two hundred artists and have been reshaping the cultural fabric of the Azores. Although it started with just one street artist, currently Walk & Talk acts more like a platform than a festival, since the pieces presented are specially thought and created for the fifteen-day-long event. It covers a wide range of art disciplines and programs several activities that include performances, theatre plays, concerts, guided talks, workshops, exhibitions and more.