SQUARE festival returns to northern Portugal with multi-city lineup for 2027

SQUARE connects promoters, labels, festivals, and artists from Atlantic-facing territories across Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The programme spans concerts, showcases, talks, and networking sessions, with Braga remaining the central hub. The city will host the conference programme, club nights, and the main concert day on Saturday 30 January, while the other three cities programme activity across the preceding days.

Artistic director Marcio Laranjeira described the ambition for the second edition in straightforward terms. “After a first edition that exceeded all our expectations, we are extremely excited about the second edition of Square, which we believe will establish the event as a meeting point for a broad community of curious people eager to discover new artists and partners within the context of a unique territory.”

The choice of host cities is as much about contrasting cultural textures as it is about spreading resources. Braga has carved out a reputation for experimental music and media arts through festivals like Semibreve and venues such as gnration and Theatro Circo. Guimarães, the 2026 European Green Capital, brings a strong interdisciplinary arts infrastructure anchored by the Vila Flor Cultural Centre and the José de Guimarães International Arts Centre. Famalicão, shaped by its industrial past, operates with a grassroots, community-led energy centred on the Casa das Artes. The coastal newcomer Viana do Castelo introduces folklore, maritime tradition, and a growing surf and alternative tourism culture to the mix.

Artist applications, partnership details and the conference programme will be confirmed in the coming months.

Read our review of SQUARE 2025.