Welcome to the Aveiro Arts House

Located in the very heart of Aveiro, more precisely in the former residence of the multifaceted artist Vasco Branco (1919-2014), the VIC // Aveiro Arts House project combines arts, culture, creative tourism and conservation of cultural heritage.

Projected by the famous architect, illustrator and designer Victor Palla in the late fifties, during the second half of the 20th century this house became a meeting point for all sorts of relevant figures concerning arts and culture. The building resembles a house-museum, filled with unique stories that bring out the artistic, cultural and political contexts of Aveiro and Portugal in contemporaneity.

Closed and virtually deserted for about ten years and on the verge of getting sold, in April 2016 the five-floor building was taken up by Vasco Branco’s grandson. Supported by a small crew of artists, friends and relatives, Hugo urged to rescue his grandparents’ house, looking forward to the conservation of his family’s cultural heritage.

While efforts are being conducted towards the rehabilitation of the building, it currently hosts a guesthouse, an arts residency, a cultural association, an event venue, a record label and a small gallery-shop where some of Vasco Branco’s works can be appreciated. There are events and workshops periodically being hosted in several fields of arts and culture, which mainly take place at the underground auditorium that used to play the role of a clandestine cinema during the Portuguese dictatorship.

Focused on the conservation and promotion of the cultural legacy of Vasco Branco, the resident crew of creatives is also consistently developing projects in the fields of participatory arts, cultural programming, community development, conservation of heritage and international cooperation.

Combining creative tourism with cultural activism, the interaction between national and international artists, foreign travellers and local audiences has converted the building into a lively and dynamic ecosystem. An artistic laboratory where the interchange of experiences and ideas is a constant reality, the Aveiro Arts House has once more become a landmark in Aveiro’s cultural scene, while progressively recovering its condition as a safe harbour for true lovers of arts and culture.

Contact us

Address

Rua do Príncipe Perfeito,
nº14 RC, Aveiro, Portugal

Phone

+351 936 157 784
(national mobile call)