Founded in 2009, Festival Silêncio is a celebration of words. The festival programme offers events ranging from literary concerts, multimedia shows, conferences and staged readings to cinema, poetry, live performances and workshops, bringing together different practices, artists, audiences and the community on one open and inclusive stage.

The festival takes place annually at different venues clustered around the neighbourhood of Cais do Sodré, a cultural district in the heart of Lisbon centre. For three days, events spill out across the neighbourhood – onto the streets, in gardens, in galleries, in local businesses, in theatres and museums, in restaurants and clubs – promoting unpredictable encounters between the community, guests, audiences and the public at large.

Festival Silêncio is an open invitation for participation, innovation, experimentation and creativity.

In addition to nationally and internationally recognized participants, Festival Silêncio has presented, since its inception, numerous young creators and authors, who are now at the forefront of a new generation of word artists.

Appearances in the past include Saul Williams, Ursula Rucker, Joshua Idehen, 2morrows Victory, Arnaldo Antunes, Mão Morta, Pop Dell Arte, Rodrigo Leão, José Mário Branco, Gisela João, Manuel Cruz and B Fachada. Writers Zoran Živković, Nuno Júdice, José Eduardo Agualusa, Vasco Graça Moura, Bruno Vieira Amaral, Mário Zambujal and Richard Zimler have also been a part of previous festival editions, along with Pillar del Río and film directors João Botelho, Teresa Villaverde and Solveig Nordlund.

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