Teatro Construção

Associação Teatro Construção in Vila Nova de Famalicão is a community theatre company based in the village of Joane, in northern Portugal. Under one roof it combines a performing group, a social-solidarity institution and a youth cultural centre that hosts an annual theatre festival.

What is Teatro Construção?

The project began in 1972, when a group of young people, many of them from the Young Catholic Workers movement (JOC), set out to build a theatre of their own. The association was formally created in 1977. Today it is a registered private institution of social solidarity, running cultural, social and sports activities side by side. Theatre is only one of its strands, but it is the one that gives the organisation its public profile across the region.

Where is it?

The headquarters stand at Rua Dr. Agostinho Fernandes 113 in Joane, part of the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão in the district of Braga. The building houses the Centro Cultural Juvenil de Joane, the youth cultural centre where performances take place.

What can you see there?

The main draw is the Construção Theatre Festival, run by the association for more than three decades and dedicated to Portuguese theatre companies. The 34th edition, in 2021, ran from 9 to 31 October with eight performances spread over several weekends. The 33rd edition ran from 23 November to 22 December and also featured eight productions by invited groups. Shows are in Portuguese, so visitors without the language will get most from the staging and the atmosphere.

How do tickets work?

Festival performances are ticketed. Discounts applied for members, students and pensioners, and children entered free. For the current programme and prices, check the association's website, atc.pt, or the Famalicão municipal events calendar, since dates change from year to year.

When to go

The festival takes place in autumn: from October in 2021, and from late November to late December in another edition. Outside festival periods the premises serve the local community, so check in advance whether a show or activity is scheduled on the day you plan to visit.

Frequently asked questions

Is it a sightseeing attraction with tours? No. It is a working cultural organisation, and a visit makes most sense around a performance or the festival.

What language are the performances in? Mostly Portuguese, because the festival showcases Portuguese theatre companies.

Where exactly is the headquarters? In Joane, at Rua Dr. Agostinho Fernandes 113, in the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão.

How long has the association existed? Its roots go back to 1972, and it was formally established in 1977.