Portimão’s Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles Garden has been given a fresh and colourful look thanks to a community art project that brought together residents of all ages.
The initiative, called Dar Cor ao Jardim (Adding Colour to the Garden), was organised by community centres from the municipal neighbourhoods of Pontal, Coca Maravilhas and Cruz da Parteira, with support from Portimão’s senior social centres and the Aldeia das Sobreiras.
The artworks now on display in the garden were created through activities such as handicrafts, crochet and painting over recent months and involved around 50 participants aged between five and 95.
In a statement, the municipal council of Portimão says the project aimed to encourage people from different generations to work together, while also highlighting local talent and creating opportunities for sharing and mutual support. It also sought to tackle social isolation and boost participants’ self-esteem, helping to improve relationships between neighbours.
The final result can now be seen throughout the garden, where the handmade pieces add character to the space and encourage greater use by the public. The display will remain in place until the end of May.
Organisers say the project is about more than just decoration and stands as an example of active citizenship and community involvement, bringing residents closer to the public spaces they use every day.
The council says it also highlights the role of local community and senior centres as important public services, promoting inclusion, social activity and a better quality of life for residents.
Jardim Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles was built on a plot of land opposite the municipal market which had been home to a ‘shanty town’ where a gypsy community lived for over 30 years. After years of promises to relocate the community and revitalise the area, the council finally moved forward with the demolition of the makeshift shacks in 2021, moving their residents into prefabricated homes in Vale da Arrancada, behind the Continente and Intermarché supermarkets in the northern section of town.
