The Iminente festival, in Lisbon: ten years of cultural experimentation

In Lisbon, the Iminente Festival has established itself since 2016 as one of the major platforms for urban culture in Portugal. For its tenth edition, the event will take place from September 17 to 20 in a place steeped in history: the former Afonso-Domingues school, in the Marvila district (north-east of the city). This professional education establishment, closed since 2010, will exceptionally be reopened to the public. More than just a decor, this space fully embodies the spirit of the festival: a place for meetings, learning and second chances.

Launched by Vhils, Iminente is based on a strong idea: urban cultures should not be confined to the margins, but be part of the heart of the city. Since its creation, the festival, thought “at the same time as a showcase and a springboard… reminded Public in 2018, migrated between different sites: the municipal garden of the city of Oeiras, in the large western suburbs of Lisbon; the Panorámico, a former restaurant transformed into a lookout point for Monsanto Park, in the center-west of the capital; the old industrial district of Matinha, in the northeast of the city; the Terreiro do Paço, the main square, in the historic center. The event has also occasionally taken place internationally, in London, Rio