Casa da Imagem [House of Image] is an artistic and educational centre, where media and visual literacy can be learned and explored by the community. Casa da Imagem is part of the Fundação Manuel Leão, a private, non-profit entity with public interest statu, and is, therefore, committed in pursuing its goals and mandate. The Foundation organises its activities and initiatives in Vila Nova de Gaia since 1996 and its main purpose is the promotion of public good through the educational, cultural, artistic and socio-charitable domains. It was from the intersection of the two central pillars of the Fundação Manuel Leão, education and art, that Casa da Imagem emerged, offering a space of education and artistic activities, initiatives and endeavours.
about
Our vision
To build a space for learning and sharing experiences through images. For us, the concept of image presents itself as the ground in which our way of doing things can meet our need to affirm ourselves as persons, our relationship with others and with the world around us.
To create access to art and culture for the population that lives apart from the main city centres.
To develop projects that adress social matters that are and can be manifested through images (media and visual literacy).
For whom?
Casa da Imagem is open to the community that it serves. The activities involve the development of entertaining and exploratory techniques and artistic practices and are aimed at a vast audience, from preschool children to senior citizens. We also invest in training and specific activities for professionals within the artistic and education fields.
Our activities mostly occure at Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto Metropolitan area, although we are open to develop them through all the national ground.
We also started organising and sponsoring international activities spreading the concept of image as an educational tool beyond borders.
What kind of activities?
Workshop related activities: we offer seasonal and annual initiatives. Organised by professionals from different backgrounds, these activities involve sharing and constant experimentation and discovery of means and technologies. This allow the participants to create objects/actions without fixed goals or any impositions regarding methodology, which enhances and promotes personal discoveries.
Training activities: these are particularly designed for Visual Art teachers and are organised as part of continuing training programmes.
Artistic experience: the gallery works as a meeting point for artistic production and experience. During exhibitions attention is especially given to working processes.
Activities for a specialised audience within the artistic and education fields: we organise tailored-made workshops, meetings and conferences to respond to the needs of this particular audience.
How is the dynamic of Casa da Imagem organised?
Every line of activity will have its own time, space, intervenients and working processes.
It is essential that the different lines of activity find points of intersection for this will allow artistic and educational practices to influence each other.
