Team leaders
Filipe Faria General Direction
Rita Santos Production
Founded in 2000 in Lisbon by Filipe Faria, Arte das Musas creates and develops original projects in the fields of music, interdisciplinary practices, sound art, documentary film, ethnography, visual arts, photography, dance, cultural mediation, territorial development, publishing and programming, and embodies the signature of works by Filipe Faria, solo or in collective, situated between the ancestral and the contemporary, the classical and the popular, inspired by the dialogue between art, culture and human ecology.
In 2012, it chose to view its projects — and the planet — from a rural, sustainable and inspiring perspective — Idanha-a-Nova, UNESCO Creative City of Music — arguably the most beautiful place in the world. This territory has become its main source of inspiration and is now the home of Arte das Musas, from which it departs for all its challenges.
In 2012 it created the project Fora do Lugar — International Early Musics Festival, in Idanha-a-Nova, UNESCO Creative City of Music, which it directs and produces, and, in 2003, it founded, directed and produced the Terras sem Sombra Festival, from its foundation until 2010. In 2007 it created the MU label and publishing house, which currently includes 50 titles (and 21 catalogues).
In 2018 it created the project Etno Series, exploring the dialogue between ethnomusicology and contemporary creation — with the titles “From a Tree Branch — The 8-hole reed. Reinterpretation of the reed of José dos Reis (Monsanto, 1911–1996)” and “On the Matter of Dialogue — Reinterpretation of the Viola Beiroa of Manuel Moreira (Salvador, 1891–1970), Penha Garcia. A dialogue with the viola de mão of Belchior Dias (Lisbon, 1581)”, both in partnership with the Institute of Ethnomusicology — Centre for the Study of Music and Dance (INET-md/FCSH/UNL).
A precursor to what would become Arte das Musas, in 1999 it founded the consort Sete Lágrimas ECMC — with a discography of 18 titles and an international concert career — and, in 2012, the ensemble Noa Noa — with a discography of 4 titles.
In 2020 it created the project Museu dos Sons Perdidos (Museum of Lost Sounds), a collection of essays on landscape — soundscape over photography — by Filipe Faria, including the titles “Antes dela dormir” (2022), “Aqui estão as palavras todas” (2022), “As cantigas são tantas que a mim até se mudam” (2023), “A minha vida foi essa toda” (2024) and “Antes da luz” (2025). Each volume departs from a voice and a place and unfolds into a book, an exhibition (photography and sound) and a soundscape.
In 2023 it created the project Casa Comum, a programme of artistic residencies commissioning new works from artists of different backgrounds — with 5 episodes — and the project Guardados — with 3 volumes — by Filipe Faria, curated by Paulo Longo, which departs from an object — a “kept thing” that has survived time with intention — for contemporary creation around photography, film, sound and music. Each volume unfolds into a book, an exhibition (photography, sound and film) and a soundscape.
Arte das Musas develops, among others, interdisciplinary performative projects such as “Todas as noutes passadas” (2016) and “Como dormirão meus olhos?” (2017) — commissioned by Centro Cultural de Belém and Zonzo Compagnie (Belgium) — sound art projects such as “Paisagens Sonoras #1–#6: Biophonies, Geophonies and Anthropophonies” (2018/19) and “Cinco sopros para uma paisagem” (2020), the project (book and documentary) “Risco Branco Risco” (2021/22), “Canção para Leanor — Soundscape on a redondilha by Luís Vaz de Camões (c. 1524–1579/80) for carved traditional pottery from Zebreira, Idanha-a-Nova (2nd quarter, 20th century)” (2024), “Songs that hardly concern the skin” (2024), by Tomás Longo and Filipe Faria, between Paris and Idanha-a-Velha, and “De Profundis — New music for double bass” (2024), by Duncan Fox.
In 2021, the film “Olha para mim, que pode não ser verdade amanhã”, directed by Filipe Faria, was selected for the official programme of the Festival du Cinéma et des Cultures Européennes de Strasbourg (France), organised by MESA — Maison de l'Europe Strasbourg-Alsace, and, in 2024, for the Salva a Terra Ecofestival.
In 2020/2021 Arte das Musas developed the video-dance, music, performance and photography project “Se chovesse um oceano” — a collection of 14 films directed by Filipe Faria and Winnie Dias, filmed in Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Wuppertal (Germany), Zurich (Switzerland) and Idanha-a-Velha (Portugal), featuring dancers Futaba Ishizaki (Japan), Naomi Brito (Brazil), Rafaela Bosi (Brazil), Rafaelle Queiroz (Brazil), Fuyumi Hamashima (Japan), Isabella Heymann (Australia), Borja Bermudez (Spain), Hayley Page (Australia) and Winnie Dias (Brazil), with music by Sete Lágrimas, Filipe Faria and Noa Noa. The project has circulated internationally, with selections and awards in Portugal, Italy, Brazil, Greece, Chile, Poland, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
In 2024 it developed the project BACH — a sonic and visual essay by Filipe Faria and Sete Lágrimas, unfolding into a performance entitled “L3 — Leipzig Lisbon Luanda”, a book-album and a series of video-dances — nominated for Best Classical Music Album (Vodafone PLAY Awards) and distinguished with several international awards and selections, including the Territory Award — Estúdios Victor Córdon for Best National Director at the InShadow Festival 2025 (Portugal), Best Music Video at the Echoes Film Festival (Greece), and official selections at festivals such as Tokyo Lift-Off (Japan), Experimental Forum Los Angeles (USA), Screendance Festival Stockholm (Sweden), IDFNOLA — International Dance Festival New Orleans (USA), Berlin Indie Film Festival (Germany) and Athens International Art Film Festival (Greece), among others.
Arte das Musas projects circulate in seasons and festivals across Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Sweden, Bulgaria, Malta, China, Belgium, Norway, the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Japan and Croatia, and collaborate with partners such as Centro Cultural de Belém, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Casa da Música, Centro Cultural Raiano, Companhia de Dança de Almada, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, APORDOC — Portuguese Documentary Association, DOCLISBOA — International Film Festival, SPEA — Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds, Philharmonie Luxembourg, Fundación Juan March, Macao International Music Festival, Stockholm Early Music Festival, Festival Baroque de Sablé, Opéra de Lille, Gent Festival van Vlaanderen, Musiekcentrum De Bijloke, Flemish Opera, Bozar Bruxelles, Stavanger Konzerthus, Český Rozhlas, Varaždinske Barokne Večeri and Elbphilharmonie Laeiszhalle Hamburg.
Since 2020, it has been a full member of REMA — Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne / European Early Music Network, and since 2015 it has been awarded the EFFE — Remarkable Festival label by the European Festivals Association, with the support of the European Union. In 2014 it was invited to join the advisory committee for the candidacy of Idanha-a-Nova to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Music, and has represented this territory internationally as a stakeholder since 2015.
Arte das Musas has received structural support from the Portuguese Ministry of Culture / Directorate-General for the Arts since 2003, and has maintained a partnership with the Municipality of Idanha-a-Nova since 2012.
Project supported by
Ministry of Culture (Portuguese Government)
Directorate General for the Arts
Partnership
Municipality of Idanha-a-Nova
\UNESCO Creative City of Music
Networks and awards
REMA - Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne/European Early Music Network
EFFE - Remarkable Festival
APORFEST
PARCEIROS E CLIENTES INSTITUCIONAIS \DESDE 2000
Ministério da Cultura
Secretaria de Estado da Cultura
Direcção-Geral das Artes (DGArtes)
Instituto das Artes (IA)
Instituto Português das Artes do Espectáculo (IPAE)
Direcção Regional de Cultura dos Açores
Direcção Regional dos Assuntos Culturais da Madeira
GPEARI – Gabinete de Planeamento, Estratégia, Avaliação e Relações Internacionais
Direcção-Geral de Cultura do Alentejo
Inspecção-Geral do Trabalho
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
Fundação Centro Cultural de Belém
Instituto Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa
Fundação Inês de Castro
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa
Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas - CESEM
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas - iNET
Rádio e Televisão de Portugal SA
Fundação Dionísio Pinheiro e Alice Cardoso Pinheiro
Universidade de Coimbra
Museu de Aveiro
TEMA – Teatro de Aveiro
Governo Civil de Beja
Governo Civil de Setúbal
EDIA
Delta Cafés
Administração do Porto de Sines
Região de Turismo da Planície Dourada
Câmara Municipal de Idanha-a-Nova
Câmara Municipal de Oeiras
Câmara Municipal de Sines
Câmara Municipal de Santiago do Cacém
Câmara Municipal de Almodôvar
Câmara Municipal de Alvito
Câmara Municipal de Aljustrel
Câmara Municipal de Castro Verde
Câmara Municipal de Moura
Câmara Municipal de Mértola
Câmara Municipal de Castelo Branco
Câmara Municipal da Guarda
Câmara Municipal de Beja
Câmara Municipal de Odemira
Câmara Municipal da Moita
Câmara Municipal de Loulé
Câmara Municipal de Penela
Câmara Municipal de Oeiras
Câmara Municipal de Grândola
Câmara Municipal de Oliveira do Bairro
Câmara Municipal de Loulé
Junta de Freguesia de Santo Condestável
Junta de Freguesia de Alcântara
Junta de Freguesia de Carnide
FNAC Portugal
Livraria Fonte de Letras
Discoteca Coimbra
Livraria Ponte do Raro
Livraria Index
Livraria Almedina
Distribuidora Dargil
Distribuidora VGM
TFM
Centro do Livro
Porto Editora – WOOK
Livraria 100ª página
Livraria Sá da Costa
Livraria Ler Livraria
Colibri Culturminho
Ao pé das letras
Livraria Minho
Leitura Books and Living – Bom Sucesso/Porto
Leitura Books and Living – Ceuta/Porto
Casa dos Músicos
Romaclassicmusic
Universidade de Aveiro – Livraria
Discoteca Megahits
UNICEPE – Cooperativa Livreira de Estudantes do Porto, CRL
Bulhosa Livreiros
H&D Livraria
Livraria Fundamentos
Zapspeed
Bicho e Filhos
Stradivarius – Espaço de Música
Delta Cafés
Academia de Música Antiga de Lisboa
Teatro Independente de Loures
Capela de Nossa Senhora da Bonança
Auditório Vita
Exacto, Estudos e Planeamento
Associação Musical Lisboa Cantat
Projecto Alkantara
Algarpalcos
Parceris)
Mapa das Ideias
Associação Coro de Lagos
Orfeão de Leiria
Azimute – Design em Mobiliário
Arena – Automação Industrial
Associação APARM – Academia Portuguesa de Artes Musicais
Orfeão de Leiria
Conservatório de Artes, Associação Almamúsica
Centro Paroquial do Estoril
Melodias à Deriva
Escola de Artes da Bairrada
Associação Divino Sospiro
Academia de Produtores Culturais
INTERNACIONAIS
Junta de Castilla y Leon – Consejería de Cultura y Turismo (Espanha)
Instituto Cultural R.A.E. de Macau (Macau/China)
Stockholm Early Music Festival (Estocolmo/Suécia)
Association Entracte (Sablé/França)
Gent Festival van Vlaanderen (Ghent/Bélgica)
International Festival W. A. Mozart in Rovereto (Rovereto/Itália)
Collegium Marianum – Týnská škola s.r.o. (Praga(República Checa)
Český Rozhlas (Praga/República Checa)
Opéra de Lille (Lille/França)
Fundación Juan March (Madrid/Espanha)
Fundación Municipal de Cultura, Educación y Universidad Popular (Gijón/Espanha)
Secretaría General Iberoamericana - SEGIB (Espanha)
Diputación Provincial de Jaén - Área de Cultura y Deportes (Úbeda/Espanha)
Festival de Musica Antigua de Úbeda y Baeza (Espanha)
Zonzo Compagnie VZW (Antuérpia/Bélgica)
Lauda Música (Baeza/Espanha)
Europac (MadridEspanha)
Publicaciones de Arquitectura y Arte S.L. (Espanha)
Toshiya Kaneda – Sarabande Co., Ltd. (Japão)