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TERRAS SEM SOMBRA

FESTIVAL DO ALENTEJO

SEASON 22

«O Happy fields and green woods»: Music and the Biosphere (From the Middle Ages to Contemporary Creation)

FEBRUARY  TO DECEMBER 2026

​“O Alentejo não tem sombra,

senão a que vem do céu;

Assente-se aqui, menina,

à sombra do meu chapéu.”

 

(moda popular)

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Próximo Concerto:

 16/05 [21:30]

 

MÉRTOLA

Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora Entre-as-Vinhas

PABLO CASALS AND JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH:
VARIOUS (PERHAPS MANY) ELECTIVE AFFINITIES

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ESTELLE REVAZ
(violoncelo)
 

HERITAGE

MILLS, MEMORIES, LANDSCAPES:
THE MILLS OF MERTOLA

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16/05 — 15:00
MÉRTOLA

​MEETING POINT

Achada de São Sebastião

(Parque de Estacionamento da Estrutura Residencial para Idosos,

Santa Casa da Misericórdia)

ACTIVITY GUIDED BY

BRUNO MATOS

(Arquitecto e Investigador do BIOPOLIS-CIBIO e do Centro de Estudos de Arquitectura e Urbanismo da Universidade do Porto)

BIODIVERSITY

THE MERTOLENGA CATTLE BREED:
AN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

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17/05 — 09:30

CORTE DO PINTO

MEETING POINT

Junta de Freguesia de Mértola​​​

ACTIVITY GUIDED BY

ALICE NUNES

(Bióloga e Professora da Faculdade de Ciências,

Universidade de Lisboa)

 

JOÃO MADEIRA

(Engenheiro Agrónomo e Empresário Agrícola)

 

JOSÉ DOS SANTOS ROMANA

(Agricultor)

MIGUEL MADEIRA 
(Médico Veterinário e Coordenador

do Agrupamento de Defesa Sanitária de Beja)  

Popular
Recipes

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Established in 2003, the Terras sem Sombra Festival is a civil society initiative dedicated to showcasing the Alentejo region, renowned for its exceptional environmental, cultural, and scenic qualities, and recognised as one of Europe’s best-preserved territories. True to the values and mission that have guided it since its foundation, the Festival maintains its itinerant nature, with an emphasis on cultural decentralisation, audience development, inclusion, and sustainability. The programme includes classical music concerts, masterclasses, conferences, visits to cultural heritage sites, and biodiversity conservation initiatives — all free of charge and open to the public.


The Festival bridges historical masterpieces with contemporary artistic expression, supports emerging composers and performers, regularly commissions new works, promotes interdisciplinary arts, collaborates with the scientific and technological sectors, revives musicological heritage, deepens the understanding of regions and local communities, and embraces an ecumenical vision of the Sacred.

 

Recent seasons have seen an enhanced international presence, welcoming guest countries such as the United States, Brazil, Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Italy, and the Philippines. Additionally, initiatives like Terras sem Sombra Kids offer educational and entertaining experiences for young audiences and families.

Terras sem Sombra Festival

One Festival, Three Dimensions

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Music

Each edition of the Festival features a classical music season with acclaimed national and international performers. Renowned repertoires, spanning from the medieval to the contemporary, are showcased in churches and historic sites across Alentejo, selected for their acoustics and cultural significance.

Heritage

The Festival celebrates and promotes the safeguarding of the Alentejo’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage. From Cante singing to the art of making cowbells, from civil and religious architecture to archaeology, from cork oak woodlands to artisanal fishing, the region’s heritage comes to life through activities that invite participants to explore its rich cultural diversity, guided by local experts and specialists.

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Biodiversity

The Festival is equally committed to raising awareness of the landscapes, ecosystems, and natural resources of the region, recognising that knowledge is essential to appreciation and preservation. Local communities, audiences, and artists are invited to take part in outdoor activities that highlight the most critical, fascinating, and authentic aspects of the territory — fostering a deeper connection with and commitment to biodiversity conservation.

Mission

The Terras sem Sombra Festival seeks to:​

  • Expand access to culture and the arts in rural and low-density regions;

  • Position the Alentejo region within European cultural and artistic networks, while strengthening its identity;

  • Build, broaden, and diversify audiences;

  • Promote and safeguard cultural memory.

  • Raise awareness of biodiversity protection.

Values

  • Respect and authenticity in celebrating and preserving the region and its communities;

  • Empathy and inclusion in appreciating local uniqueness;

  • Accessibility and equality in engaging with all audiences;

  • Cooperation and solidarity with all internal and external stakeholders.

Missão e Valores

Terras sem Sombra International Award

The Festival is associated with the annual presentation of the Terras sem Sombra International Award. Established in 2011, the award honours an individual or institution that has distinguished itself globally in each of the following fields: the promotion of Music and Musicology; the enhancement of Cultural Heritage; and the safeguarding of Biodiversity.

In 2026, two new categories were created, reflecting other important areas of the Festival’s work: International Cooperation and Public Service; and the encouragement of the careers of young professionals in the artistic sphere (Sons sem Sombra/New Talents).

 

Country of Honour

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REPÚBLICA DA POLÓNIA

Comemorações do V Centenário do Nascimento de Luís de Camões

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Ano mulher agricultora

Estrutura financiada por:

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This project is co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland through the Cultural Promotion Fund.

Com o apoio de

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INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

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SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL PARTNERS

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MEDIA & COMUNICATION PARTNERS

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