Hungry for culture: Portugal union stages shows for food

União Audiovisual (Audiovisual Union), an association providing support to Portuguese crew during the coronavirus crisis, is staging a series of concerts to help raise money for food packages for out-of-work live professionals.

The union, formed in the early days of the crisis, delivers food parcels to “audiovisual workers”, including artists, show producers and stage managers, in need. Those needing assistance can apply via a form on the union’s website or the dedicated Facebook group, with food drops available across Portugal, including Lisbon, Oporto, Coimbra, the Algarve and the Azores.

Following a concert by the Legendary Tigerman at Lisbon’s Village Underground in July, the organisation is now staging what is calls its biggest shows to date, organising two days of programming in the city of Évora this week.

The concerts – taking place tonight (24 September) and Saturday (26 September) – feature the Legendary Tigerman, Dead Combo, Duarte and Omiri and are being co-produced with local authorities.

Concert attendees are asked to bring a bag of non-perishable food goods

Tickets are priced at an “affordable” €5, the union tells the Lusa news agency, with all attendees also asked to bring a bag of non-perishable food goods.

Speaking to Lusa, Audiovisual Union’s Manuel Chambel says the organisation’s objective is to “help with food products for professionals in the artistic and audiovisual industries who have seen their work cancelled or postponed”.

“Here in the Alentejo [in south Portugal], we help only one person, but in Lisbon, Oporto, the Algarve and elsewhere, there are many more,” he explains.

With the concerts in Évora, he adds, “we want to do what we do best, which is to produce events that we think are cool” while at the same time “contribute to a noble cause”.

This article forms part of IQ’s Covid-19 resource centre – a knowledge hub of essential guidance and updating resources for uncertain times.

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