Teatro Municipal António Pinheiro

Until September, the City Is Our Stage

The Theatre bids farewell to the current season and takes a break during the summer months, giving centre stage to the town, the fine weather and outdoor life.

We invite residents and visitors to enjoy the Theatre beyond its walls through the “Summer in Tavira” programme, featuring a wide range of cultural events and opportunities to come together, experience and celebrate the town.

We will return in September with a new season and many exciting developments, continuing to make the Theatre a place of culture, shared experiences and emotion.

“Summer in Tavira” has arrived – a cultural programme designed for residents and visitors alike, bringing together, throughout July and August, a wide variety of initiatives in street arts, music, cinema, visual arts, heritage, literature, popular traditions and commercial activities, reinforcing Tavira’s position as one of the most complete cultural destinations in the south of Portugal.

The programme opens from 1 to 12 July with the 20th edition of Cenas na Rua – International Festival of Theatre and Street Arts. Celebrating two decades of existence, this year’s festival brings together Portuguese groups alongside a strong international presence, with companies from Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Argentina.

For twelve days, the historic centre becomes a vast open-air stage, hosting theatre, contemporary circus, clowning, music, visual theatre, acrobatics and other artistic expressions that have established Cenas as a national and international benchmark in street arts.

Music also takes centre stage within this programme. From 17 to 19 July, Praça da República hosts another edition of Jazz em Tavira, featuring the Rodrigo Correia Quintet, joined by João Barradas, João Paulo Esteves da Silva, Ricardo Toscano and João Lencastre. The Leiria Jazz Orchestra will perform alongside Paula Oliveira and Algarve accordionist João Frade, who welcomes Eu.Clides in a meeting between jazz and the new sounds of Portuguese music.

Throughout the summer, Praça da República establishes itself as one of the municipality’s leading cultural venues, hosting concerts and performances almost every day, bringing together different musical styles and generations. Programme highlights include Marta Ren, Cais Sodré Funk Connection, Lavoisier, the Algarve Jazz Orchestra and the Algarve Orchestra, alongside a range of local music projects, ethnographic groups and cultural associations, reflecting the Municipality’s commitment to promoting artistic creation, cultural diversity and local talent.

Special mention should also be made of the Fado no Coreto series, which once again provides a stage for numerous local fado singers. These evenings celebrate one of the most authentic expressions of Portuguese culture, creating an intimate atmosphere between performers and audiences while showcasing Tavira’s talent, traditions and cultural identity.

Rua do Cais is another important gathering place and hub of activity within the town, hosting its traditional themed fairs. From 10 to 13 July, the Days of Wine, organised by the Associação Cegos por Provas, celebrate wine culture and Portuguese wines. From 17 July to 4 August, the Book Fair brings together dozens of exhibitors, book launches, meetings with authors and activities for younger audiences. Between 7 and 16 August, the Crafts Fair, organised by Associação ASTA, highlights traditional crafts, skills and the creativity of local artisans. The programme concludes with the Stock Fair, from 20 to 24 August, organised by the Association for the Integrated Development of Downtown Tavira (UAC), contributing to the promotion of traditional commerce and the local economy.

Cinema is another major feature of the summer programme. With the support of the Municipality, the Tavira Film Club presents the 26th Open-Air Film Festival in the Cloisters of Convento do Carmo, from 16 to 26 July and from 6 to 16 August, with a programme centred on the theme “Music, Love and the Desire for Transformation”.

At the same time, Cinemalua – Cultural Association, with municipal support, once again brings open-air cinema screenings to various locations across the municipality, reinforcing the decentralisation of cultural programming and bringing cinema closer to local communities.

Visual arts and heritage also form an important part of the programme through a diverse range of exhibitions organised by the Municipal Museum, inviting visitors to discover the town’s history, identity and contemporary artistic creation.

At Palácio da Galeria, visitors may explore “A Tree”, an exhibition by Daniel Moreira and Rita Castro Neves, resulting from an artistic investigation into Europe’s oldest carob tree, bringing together contemporary art, landscape, memory and natural heritage. Also on display are “Mediterranean Diet – Ancient Cultural Heritage”, celebrating the Mediterranean lifestyle recognised by UNESCO, and “Everything for the Neighbourhood – SAAL in Tavira and Collective Building”, revisiting one of the most significant processes of community participation and social architecture developed after the Carnation Revolution.

At the Islamic Centre, visitors can discover the exhibitions “Islamic Tavira” and “Jews in Tavira – Fragments of a History”, highlighting the city’s important archaeological heritage and recalling the presence and contribution of the Jewish community throughout Tavira’s history.

The programme also includes, at the Chapel of São Roque, the installation “Museum of Expectations” by artist Pedro Gomes, curated by João Silvério, complementing an offer that includes guided visits and a variety of cultural mediation activities.

Summer in Tavira is the result of collaborative work between the Municipality, cultural associations and numerous institutional partners, reflecting a strategy that values culture, heritage, the local economy and quality of life, while providing an accessible and inclusive programme for all generations.

An invitation to experience Tavira in a different way.

Read the brochure here.

Address

Teatro Municipal António Pinheiro

Rua D. Marcelino Franco, 22

8800-347 Tavira

Contacts

tm-antoniopinheiro@cm-tavira.pt

bilheteira.tm-antoniopinheiro@cm-tavira.pt

281 320 510

(Call cost according to your tariff plan)

Schedule

Tuesday to Saturday – 10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. / 2:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

Box office closed on Mondays.

Tickets available at the Theatre’s reception desk, FNAC, Worten, CTT, Pousadas da Juventude, El Corte Inglés, Lojas Note!, Rede Serveasy e BOL

History +

Tavira had been one of the main municipalities in the Kingdom since the 15th century, as can be seen from the royal charter that granted it city status on 16 March 1520. However, it was not until 1853 that a record was found for an entity named “Dramatic Society”, which applied to the Town Hall for permission to remove the stone needed to build a venue for performances, known as the “Theatro Tavirense”, next to the Church of Santiago. A performance company worked at this theatre, which also hosted various theatrical performances over the years, including artists from the Teatro D. Amélia and the Teatro do Gymnásio. Later, the authorities closed the facilities down due to their poor condition.

It was during this period that a new type of entertainment made its appearance and began to excite the population – motion pictures. In 1909, a group of locals in Tavira set up a shed in Praça da Alagoa to screen films. Later, in 1910, the shed would be moved to Rua 1º de Maio, where it hosted various other shows in addition to film screenings.

In 1910, the precarious conditions of the “Theatro Tavirense” and the limited facilities of the Salão 1º de Maio, led a group of citizens to announce the opening of subscriptions for shareholders, who would carry out the construction of a theatre that would be “vast, comfortable and with the necessary safety conditions”. This space would be called “Theatro Circo”. For reasons unknown, the project never got off the ground.

In 1914, a group of citizens again initiated the idea of building a theatre that would ensure comfort and safety for the public.

And so, on 24 October 1917, the Teatro Popular was inaugurated, with three notable locals in attendance: António Pinheiro, Pavia de Magalhães and António Rebelo Neves.

In May 1942, on the initiative of Virgílio Monteiro, the then administrator of the Teatro Popular, in a rightful tribute to the greatest figure in theatre in Tavira and one of the leading cultural role models in Portugal at the time, it was suggested that the name be changed to Teatro António Pinheiro. The change was approved at the General Meeting of the Empresa de Espetáculos Tavirense.

In 1964, the Teatro António Pinheiro was sold to the company Cesário & Drago, Lda and shortly afterwards was demolished and rebuilt. In 1968, it was inaugurated under the name “Cine – Teatro António Pinheiro”. Thus, on 10 February the renovated venue reopened, presenting two screenings of the film “More Than a Miracle”, starring Sofia Loren and Omar Sharif.

Over the years, the venue gradually lost standing as new facilities opened in the region and the owners had no option but to sell the Cineteatro António Pinheiro. Tavira Municipal Council purchased the property in 2001 and refurbishment began in 2018.

The renovation brought a new lease of life to the old Cineteatro António Pinheiro and the venue’s name was changed once more: as property of the Municipality, it is now the António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre.

1 O HERALDO, 29/06/1905, Nº 1198, ANO 23º

2 PROVÍNCIA DO ALGARVE, 4/06/1910, Nº 88, ANO II

Mission +

The António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre is a welcoming facility, which also encourages and supports artistic creation, networking and the involvement of the community at large, the school community, and the associative ecosystem of the municipality of Tavira. As such, it is a very important anchor in the pursuit of the cultural policies defined by the Municipality. The aim is to develop a programme that fosters the democratisation of access to culture, as well as institutional cooperation between different levels of administration, helping to correct asymmetries, and also contributing to territorial cohesion and the development of populations in the municipality of Tavira, the Eastern Algarve and the whole Algarve region.

The António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre’s mission is to present a regular, eclectic, quality and diverse programme for all, one that is accessible and inclusive and promotes the creation of audiences; a theatre open to the community and which contributes to artistic enjoyment, as well as the promotion and circulation of local, regional, national and international projects in the field of performing and musical arts, including the silver screen. A space dedicated to the celebration of Art in all its forms, a place of creation, expression and reflection, an open house for cultural, social and artistic diversity, reflecting the rich history and dynamism of the city, where the intention is for culture to be accessible, inclusive and transformative. Quoting Alberto Caeiro, one of Fernando Pessoa’s heteronyms, “I am the size of what I see and not the size of my height”, the Antonio Pinheiro Municipal Theatre is intended to be an expansive space that surpasses the physical and allows us to feel, perceive and expand our consciousness beyond the obvious and the immediate. The António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre aims to be a reflection of the world, a window through which the audience can cross over towards new perspectives and dimensions.

It also aims to promote a range of activities in various fields and is technically equipped for multipurpose use in areas such as music, theatre, dance, the performing arts, contemporary circus, cinema and opera, as well as colloquiums, meetings, seminars, conferences, congresses, stand-up performances and more.

Another priority is the development of educational processes and artistic mediation, which, on the one hand, seek to create tools that encourage participation by all communities and cultural identities, and, on the other, promote the relationship between culture and education in a perspective of lifelong learning, with a particular focus on stimulating artistic practices accessible to all levels of education, artistic creation, empowerment of the cultural fabric, critical thinking, citizenship and freedom of expression.

As well as the initiatives planned by the António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre/Municipality of Tavira, others promoted by third parties may also take place in the space, provided they effectively contribute to the cultural and artistic dynamism of the municipality, are of manifest public interest and are approved by the Municipality.

The aim is for the António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre to become more than a mere physical space but, rather, to be valued as a place that is loaded with social and cultural significance. A space replete with memories and affection, in which the community of Tavira recognises and finds itself, at each performance. By creating layers of meaning, the theatre becomes an extension of the local identity. We want the António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre to be seen as a place of experimentation and flow; a place where new languages and forms of expression can constantly arise, meet, transform and reconnect with the community and with new artistic expressions, representing the artistic vitality of the city. An active space that people experience not just as spectators, but as participants in the construction of the place creating a space that reflects the city, its history and its identity. Ultimately, we want the António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre to truly become a place where the community of Tavira recognises itself and expresses itself culturally, creating a space for continuous meeting and transformation.

It has been said that place and space play a fundamental role in the construction of social identities, as they are intimately linked to culture; as such, the Theatre, as a place of artistic expression, can be a point of cultural and social emancipation, breaking barriers and promoting inclusion. It is intended that the proposed programme will promote the emancipation of the audiences in a process of empowerment and liberation, allowing them greater critical and creative autonomy.

The António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre aims to be a place that the people of Tavira appropriate in the desired interaction, whether participating as spectators or performing in their own productions, building the place with their presence and making it something unique and alive, a culturally dynamic meeting point.

Spaces are reservoirs of memories and emotional images. In the context of the António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre, this poetics of space and memory can be applied to the understanding of how the Theatre is effectively a space of collective memory. Dating from 1917, and having been renovated several times, it is a venue where each performance, each interaction and each movement become part of the cultural identity of the place.

May audiences attending the theatre do so not merely as consumers of culture, but also as active and conscious participants in the cultural process. And may the programme serve as a means to promote this autonomy, leading audiences to question, reflect and potentially transform their social and cultural context.

We want the António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre to be not just a physical space but, rather, a place loaded with emotional significance; a place where people can forge, experience and feel a bond of affection, with symbolic values creating a connection and a sense of belonging.

Long live the António Pinheiro Municipal Theatre!

Team +

Sociocultural Development Department

Cristina Neto

Cultural Management and Artistic Direction Division

José Barradas

Programme Assistant

Isabel Fernandes

Public Procurement

Telma Luz

Multimedia

Ivo Costa

Cultural Mediation

Manuela Ruivinho

Production

Sónia Salas

Miguel Peres Santos

Front Of House

Abílio Nascimento

Rita Crespo

Valério Rufino

Cleaning

Raquel Diogo

Olimpia Lourenço

Design

UNITED BY

Ticket Office +

Ticketing

The ticket office is open from Tuesday to Saturday – 10.30 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 5.30 pm
The ticket office is closed on Mondays.
On performance days, the ticket office opens 2 hours before the performance.
In the 30 minutes leading up to the performance, only tickets for that performance are sold.
The ticket office closes 30 minutes after the start of the performance.
Please keep your ticket until the end of the performance.
Please check your tickets at the time of purchase.
Tickets are valid only for the session indicated.

Tickets are available for purchase at the Theatre reception, FNAC, Worten, CTT post offices, Youth Hostels, El Corte Inglés, Note! Stores, the Serveasy website and BOL

Bookings

Bookings can be made by phone at 281 320 510 or by emailing bilheteira.tm-antoniopinheiro@cm-tavira.pt
Tickets not paid for at the time of booking must be collected within 72 hours after booking or they will be cancelled.
Bookings are only accepted up to 3 days before the performance date.
Reduced mobility seats are exclusively for people with physical disabilities. They are clearly marked at the ticket office and any other physical or online point of sale.

House Rules

Doors generally open 30 minutes before the start of the performance.
Entry is not permitted once the performance has started, unless specifically allowed by staff on duty.
Filming, recording and photography are not permitted during performances.
Smoking is not permitted in the Theatre.
The use of mobile phones or other noise-emitting devices is not permitted inside the hall.
Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the hall.
Animals are not permitted, except for assistance animals, as provided for by current legislation.

Quarterly Programme +

Consult the programme

Fourth quarter of 2025 here

First quarter of 2026 here

Technical Rider +

Consult the technical rider

Networks: Rede Azul +

Mission

The Rede AZul – Algarve Theatre Network was created in 2016 with the mission of supporting regional cultural creation and production, optimizing existing infrastructures, and strengthening the artistic offering in the south of the country.

Objectives

It aims to facilitate the creation, loyalty, and training of audiences, enabling the establishment of conditions for the publication of a joint cultural agenda and the implementation of a shared management model for cultural venues. Among other objectives, the network also seeks to contribute to the training and qualification of professionals working in different cultural facilities.

Axes

Axis 1 – Support for creation

Aims to enhance and enrich cultural creation in the region by supporting amateur artistic structures.

Axis 2 – Programming

Aims to carry out networked programming work, enabling the creation of synergies and economies of scale in the co-production and purchase of shows, as well as in the coordination of agendas.

Axis 3 – Training

Aims to contribute to the continuous training of teams, as well as to the qualification of the regional artistic fabric.

Activity Plan 2025

The activities to be developed in 2025 will focus on three key areas:

Creation of a Showcase of Performances
With the aim of developing and sustaining the creative cultural fabric of the Algarve, Rede Azul intends in 2025 to organize a showcase of performances created by Algarvian artists or those based in the region. The goal of this showcase is for each Rede Azul partner to be required to program at least one performance from this showcase during 2026. The performances programmed by the cultural facilities of Rede Azul must come from creators based in other municipalities within the Network.

Launch of an Artistic Creation Call for creative structures in the Algarve
Following up on the performances created in 2016 – “Leôncio e Lena” by LAMA Teatro, in 2018 – “Moda Vestra” by João Frade, Rafael Correia and Ana Perfeito, and in 2019 – “Diz-me, António” by Carolina Cantinho, Armando Correia and Pedro Pinto, Rede Azul aims to continue the call for artistic creation, directed to creative structures in the region, with the goal of developing new artistic works to be presented in 2026 in the various spaces that make up the Network. The call for artistic creation support will be launched in 2025, and the winner of this support may begin creation within the same year.

Conferences and Debate Cycle
In 2025, Rede AZul intends to organize a series of conferences and seminars on different cultural themes, initiatives that will take place in different venues within the network, aimed at people who work daily with cultural matters.

Partners

Rede AZul currently includes 13 partners, namely:

Cineteatro Louletano
Teatro das Figuras (Faro)
Auditório Municipal de Albufeira
Auditório Carlos do Carmo (Lagoa)
Centro Cultural de Lagos
Auditório Municipal de Olhão Maria Barroso
TEMPO – Teatro Municipal de Portimão
Cineteatro Jaime Pinto (São Brás de Alportel)
Teatro Mascarenhas Gregório (Silves)
Teatro Municipal António Pinheiro (Tavira)
Centro Cultural António Aleixo (Vila Real de Santo António)
Auditório da Biblioteca Municipal de Castro Marim
Centro Cultural de Vila do Bispo

Rede AZul Contacts

Email: redeteatrosazul@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redeazulalgarve/

Rede AZul Partners Contacts

Cineteatro Louletano

Address: Rua Doutor Frutuoso da Silva, 8100-501 Loulé
Email: cinereservas@cm-loule.pt | Telefone: 289 400 820
Website: https://cineteatro.cm-loule.pt/
Online tickets: https://cineteatrolouletano.bol.pt
Artistic direction: Dália Paulo
Artistic programming: Paulo Silva

Teatro das Figuras (Faro)

Address: Rua João de Brito Vargas, 8005-518 Faro
Email: [geral@teatromunicipaldefaro.pt](mailto:geral@teatromunicipaldefaro.pt) | Phone: 289 870 077
Website: [https://www.teatrodasfiguras.pt](https://www.teatrodasfiguras.pt)
Online tickets: [https://teatrodasfiguras.bol.pt/](https://teatrodasfiguras.bol.pt/)
Artistic programming: Gil Silva

Auditório Municipal de Albufeira

Address: Rua do Município – Cerro da Alagoa, 8200-863 Albufeira
Email: [geral@cm-albufeira.pt](mailto:geral@cm-albufeira.pt) | Phone: 289 599 645
Division Chief: Carla Ponte

Auditório Carlos do Carmo (Lagoa)

Address: Rua do Centro de Saúde, 8400-413 Lagoa
Email: [cultura@cm-lagoa.pt](mailto:cultura@cm-lagoa.pt) | Phone: 282 380 452
Online tickets: [https://auditoriocarlosdocarmo.bol.pt/](https://auditoriocarlosdocarmo.bol.pt/)
Artistic programming: Paulo Francisco

Centro Cultural de Lagos

Address: Rua Lançarote de Freitas, 7 | 8600-605 Lagos
Email: [centro.cultural@cm-lagos.pt](mailto:centro.cultural@cm-lagos.pt) | Phone: 282 770 450
Online tickets: [https://centroculturaldelagos.bol.pt/](https://centroculturaldelagos.bol.pt/)
Division Chief: José Viegas
Artistic programming: Vera Feu

Auditório Municipal de Olhão Maria Barroso

Address: Rua Diogo de Mendonça Corte Real, 1 | 8700-232 Olhão
Email: [auditorio@cm-olhao.pt](mailto:auditorio@cm-olhao.pt) | Phone: 289 700 160
Website: [https://auditoriomunicipal.cm-olhao.pt/](https://auditoriomunicipal.cm-olhao.pt/)
Online tickets: [https://ticketline.sapo.pt/salas/sala/658](https://ticketline.sapo.pt/salas/sala/658)
Artistic programming: Vítor Lopes

TEMPO – Teatro Municipal de Portimão

Address: Largo 1.º de Dezembro, 8500-538 Portimão
Email: [geral@teatromunicipaldeportimao.pt](mailto:geral@teatromunicipaldeportimao.pt) | Phone: 282 242 650 / 961 579 917
Online tickets: [https://tempo.bol.pt](https://tempo.bol.pt)
Artistic programming: Ana Águas

Cineteatro Jaime Pinto (São Brás de Alportel)

Address: Av. da Liberdade, 22 | 8150-101 São Brás de Alportel
Email: [cine.teatro@cm-sbras.pt](mailto:cine.teatro@cm-sbras.pt) | Phone: 289 840 211 / 289 840 000
Artistic programming: Sónia Silva / Patrícia Reis

Teatro Mascarenhas Gregório (Silves)

Address: Rua Cândido dos Reis, s/n | 8300-126 Silves
Email: [cultura@cm-silves.pt](mailto:cultura@cm-silves.pt) | Phone: 282 440 800
Online tickets: [https://cmsilves.bol.pt/](https://cmsilves.bol.pt/)
Artistic programming: João Estiveira / José Guia

Teatro Municipal António Pinheiro (Tavira)

Address: Rua Dom Marcelino Franco, 22, 8800-347 Tavira
Email: [tm-antoniopinheiro@cm-tavira.pt](mailto:tm-antoniopinheiro@cm-tavira.pt) | Phone: 281 320 510
Artistic programming: José Barradas

Centro Cultural António Aleixo (Vila Real de Santo António)

Address: Rua Dr. Teófilo Braga, 8900-231 Vila Real de Santo António
Email: [geral@cm-vrsa.pt](mailto:geral@cm-vrsa.pt) | Phone: 281 510 045
Online tickets: [https://cm-vrsa.bol.pt](https://cm-vrsa.bol.pt)
Artistic programming: Vítor Junqueira and André de Oliveira

Auditório da Biblioteca Municipal de Castro Marim

Address: Rua 25 de Abril, s/n | 8950-122 Castro Marim
Email: [biblioteca@cm-castromarim.pt](mailto:biblioteca@cm-castromarim.pt) | Phone: 281 510 747
Artistic programming: Tina Castro / João Pereira

Centro Cultural de Vila do Bispo
Address: Praça da Tanegashima 8650, Vila do Bispo
Email: [geral@cm-viladobispo.pt](mailto:geral@cm-viladobispo.pt) | Phone: 282 630 600
Artistic programming: Tânia Lucas

Protocols and partnerships +

Protocols

Nacional Institutions

Teatro Nacional D.Maria II