Reconnecting with nature
CATRAIA
Catraia Festival - Sustainability, Arts & Music Festival
CATRAIA is an admission-free, multidisciplinary festival that takes place in a small beach town in coastal Portugal. Its programme focuses on sustainability and environmental-awareness through an array of events that include concerts, art exhibitions, workshops, lectures, films, and sports. It is close to the community and partners with local enterprises, while gathering people from different backgrounds and generations to act on the climate emergency.
Portugal
Local
Praia da Tocha, Tocha
Mainly rural
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
2024-08-25
No
No
No
As a representative of an organisation
CATRAIA is an admission free multidisciplinary festival that includes concerts, films, art exhibitions, workshops, lectures, sport and awareness-raising activities. The first edition took place in 2019. It takes place in August in Praia da Tocha, Coimbra, Portugal. CATRAIA aims to fill a gap regarding a lack of environmental awareness events in the central region of Portugal and intends to bring together people from different backgrounds and generations to the conversation about climate emergency. The festival happens in an atmosphere of proximity and sharing, giving space for participants to act, on an individual and collective level, creating community bonds, awareness and active participation. It aims to involve the community in a transgenerational way in order to create a sense of togetherness towards a common goal: building a better world.
Environment
Climate change
Culture
Community
Education
To create a space for reflection on the climate emergency, the programme aims to communicate ideas of sustainability, other visions of community and healthy development of society, supporting local action-based climate initiatives. We believe that science, culture and education must go hand in hand when trying to encourage change, both in people's mindset and actions (individual or collective). The art interventions and lectures seek to raise public awareness of the importance of taking conscious and sustainable action towards a healthier and greener future, while workshops look to empower people on how to take this action. We find the following examples relevant:
• Informal conversations with invited guests on relevant topics (food waste, microplastics, marine pollution, upcycling, Zero-Waste)
• Workshops aligned with sustainability values, such as recycling, upcycling and zero-waste, and workshops on traditions: repairing and creating new clothing pieces; cooking using end-of-life products and waste usage techniques; making cornbread in a wood-fired oven; build recycled instruments; animation films with the creation of a short stop-motion animation film using recycled materials.
CATRAIA is also planned with its environmental impact in mind by having:
• No plastic merchandise or disposable utensils (Bring your own cup encouraged)
• Communication and promotion of the event mainly through digital media
• Recycling and compost bins throughout the festival site
• Vegan/zero-waste meals for all staff/artists/volunteers throughout the entire festival
• Upcycled merchandising
• Decoration entirely made out of trash art from beach clean ups prior to the festival
CATRAIA’s foundational and ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability is present in every action undertaken not only in the production and organization of the festival, but also in the activities and events that take place.
• Informal conversations with invited guests on relevant topics (food waste, microplastics, marine pollution, upcycling, Zero-Waste)
• Workshops aligned with sustainability values, such as recycling, upcycling and zero-waste, and workshops on traditions: repairing and creating new clothing pieces; cooking using end-of-life products and waste usage techniques; making cornbread in a wood-fired oven; build recycled instruments; animation films with the creation of a short stop-motion animation film using recycled materials.
CATRAIA is also planned with its environmental impact in mind by having:
• No plastic merchandise or disposable utensils (Bring your own cup encouraged)
• Communication and promotion of the event mainly through digital media
• Recycling and compost bins throughout the festival site
• Vegan/zero-waste meals for all staff/artists/volunteers throughout the entire festival
• Upcycled merchandising
• Decoration entirely made out of trash art from beach clean ups prior to the festival
CATRAIA’s foundational and ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability is present in every action undertaken not only in the production and organization of the festival, but also in the activities and events that take place.
CATRAIA takes place in a sunny beach town, sided by the ocean and the forest. The picturesque village evolved from a fishing history, with a unique architecture of wooden houses on stilts. Having been an underdeveloped region for a long time, it preserved a lot of features that stand out compared to the neighbouring settlements. The festival makes use of this context to deliver a pleasant setting to explore and learn. CATRAIA explores a pairing between learning and fun/playful activities to create engagement and knowledge retention in the audience on topics like the Environment, Science and Social issues. The festival takes place in different venues, all within walking distance from one another and which are an integral part of the village, making use of public facilities. One can find art installations on the street; the main stage for concerts is in the main square surrounded by historical traditional houses; workshops happen in the Village Residents Association and surrounding green areas; the Chapel is used for film showcases and the space outside for different activities and the beach and forest that surround the town are used for nature sports and wellness activities. In every edition of CATRAIA, a piece of urban art, such as murals, sculptures and street paintings, is installed in the village by invited or local artists. These artworks become a part of the image of the village and are intended to impact locals and visitors with messages about the history and future of the location to be enjoyed in the future. The multidisciplinary context of the festival aims to bring people with different interests to the village. One can enjoy music concerts, movies, art exhibitions, sports (such as surf, bodyboard and skateboard), workshops and wellness activities for adults and children, lectures and many more to come. The gathering of the local community and visitors across different age layers is a beautiful outcome that we are proud to experience on every edition.
CATRAIA is 100% admission free, which translates into more inclusivity and participation of more people.
There are activities for all age groups and they all take place in wheelchair accessible places.
The fact that the festival happens mostly outdoors is one of its main strengths, given people will find themselves engaged even just by seeing or listening to what is happening, promoting interaction albeit passively.
The festival’s programme covers a diversity of topics beyond its core subjects, such as feminism and mental health, and it calls for conversations around them.
There are activities for all age groups and they all take place in wheelchair accessible places.
The fact that the festival happens mostly outdoors is one of its main strengths, given people will find themselves engaged even just by seeing or listening to what is happening, promoting interaction albeit passively.
The festival’s programme covers a diversity of topics beyond its core subjects, such as feminism and mental health, and it calls for conversations around them.
The activities in CATRAIA’s programme demand the participation and involvement of the community. From the volunteering activities, the workshops, the film showcases to the food stands, every activity needs people to organise, promote and put it in place, as well as participants to make it happen. In either case, citizens are invited to participate in order to learn, discuss, think and ultimately make an actual impact through their actions. CATRAIA aims at raising awareness of different topics and everyone who attends and participates has the opportunity to learn how to make a difference. That impacts their own lives and the lives of others around them, not only because their actions have a direct impact on the environment and the community, but also because they can influence others to rethink their actions, learn and get introduced to alternative behaviors. We believe that kids who participate in festival activities/workshops have the most impact on changing habits within their household since they are more susceptible to shaping their mindset and are the best spreaders of information and advocates for conscious action alongside their family members and friends.
CATRAIA’s stakeholders are mostly local. The production team is a group of young people from the local village and surrounding areas, with different working and experience backgrounds, backed up by the local resident’s association. The work done is voluntary, under a horizontal and participatory organisation. The work team during the festival is entirely made up of volunteers who apply at a preliminary stage. Project presentations are made in local schools to promote young people’s involvement in active citizenship and climate action. Youth from local high schools show strong involvement in the festival bringing innovation and their values of social activism, critical thinking, mental health advocacy and focus on diversity and inclusion. Local businesses are encouraged to get involved in the festival logistics, providing food and supplies, as well as financial support, under a proximity and mutual support logic. Local governmental entities, such as the parish and municipal council, are actively involved, providing most of the financial support of the event to date, helping with logistics and legal procedures and allowing the use of public spaces and infrastructures. Open dialogue with local political entities allows for moments of ideas and suggestions exchange regarding the concerns of the population, who are actively consulted during the festival. This has an impact on the community's active participation in governance. At a lower level, national businesses/companies take part by providing sponsorship financially or in goods and services. None of the financial sponsors take part in the programming decisions or content selection of the festival, although they do represent a high impact on the logistics. The community is the main stakeholder of the festival: CATRAIA is supported mainly by citizens (local and non-local) who participate in the organisation, as staff, and/or attendees. The outcome of the activities and events and the art created are for the community.
CATRAIA creates a network of different knowledge fields that come together, such as marketing, web and graphic design, videography, photography, copywriting, sociology, ethnology, agriculture, forestry, biology, and politics.
The production team consists of people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise who contribute with their knowledge and experience in order to provide the best possible experience to festival participants.
Every important decision is made by unanimity by all members of the production team, often based on and considering feedback from volunteers and local residents.
The production team consists of people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise who contribute with their knowledge and experience in order to provide the best possible experience to festival participants.
Every important decision is made by unanimity by all members of the production team, often based on and considering feedback from volunteers and local residents.
The lack of environmental-awareness and sustainability events in general, but particularly in the central region of Portugal, is a gap that demands urgent filling. CATRAIA proposes to do so. The idea is to focus on the activities that promote sustainability, discussion and sharing of ideas. The music concerts, while an important attraction, are not the main focus and their aim is to 1) bring more people to the festival and 2) to promote independent and/or local artists, mostly Portuguese.
"Andar à catraia" means, in the region's slang, the act of walking along the seashore in search of materials brought by the waves, with the aim of reusing them, a practice that, in the past, was done out of necessity due to poverty and scarcity that was experienced in the region. To tackle the global marine pollution crisis that Praia da Tocha is also experiencing, we decided to "rethink" this term and create an event that combined our belief in a decentralised culture, accessible to everyone and based on the reinvention of our roots, with a strong component of ecological awareness.
Catraia is the first festival focusing on environmental and sustainable awareness to take place in the Coimbra region. It uses art, in its most varied forms, as a vehicle for raising public awareness around these issues. In addition to focusing on sustainable practices, it also values the value of its historical heritage. It stimulates the creativity of artists with an emerging objective: a call for reflection on climate change. It aims to involve the community in a transgenerational way. Children, adults and seniors are invited to participate in the event in order to create a sense of community with a common goal: to build a better world.
"Andar à catraia" means, in the region's slang, the act of walking along the seashore in search of materials brought by the waves, with the aim of reusing them, a practice that, in the past, was done out of necessity due to poverty and scarcity that was experienced in the region. To tackle the global marine pollution crisis that Praia da Tocha is also experiencing, we decided to "rethink" this term and create an event that combined our belief in a decentralised culture, accessible to everyone and based on the reinvention of our roots, with a strong component of ecological awareness.
Catraia is the first festival focusing on environmental and sustainable awareness to take place in the Coimbra region. It uses art, in its most varied forms, as a vehicle for raising public awareness around these issues. In addition to focusing on sustainable practices, it also values the value of its historical heritage. It stimulates the creativity of artists with an emerging objective: a call for reflection on climate change. It aims to involve the community in a transgenerational way. Children, adults and seniors are invited to participate in the event in order to create a sense of community with a common goal: to build a better world.
With a goal to establish a dynamic and creative project that harmonises music, art, culture, innovation, CATRAIA serves as a platform for thoughtful exchanges and discussions. Furthermore, we seek to preserve nearly forgotten local heritage and traditions that are evident in Gândara's customs, gastronomy, fishing methods, architecture, as well as promote the works of local writers and artists. The concept revolves around fusing tradition with contemporary and innovative artistic expressions.
The project creates an open space, designed for a wide range of audiences, with music being the main attraction, where all the activities are gamified in order to effectively deliver ideas and knowledge, looking for paradigm shifts in society, environment and politics.
CATRAIA aims to be a festival designed “from people to people” where anyone can join and contribute, assuring the project continuity for many years to come, as well as expanding the fields of intervention. By visiting local schools to share information about the festival and enhancing new learning experiences, we can bring younger generations to the table, ensuring not only the success but most importantly project continuity with a renewal of the developing teams. Renewing the production team with the younger generation helps to mitigate repetitive thinking and allows new issues and themes being brought to the table of discussion.
The project creates an open space, designed for a wide range of audiences, with music being the main attraction, where all the activities are gamified in order to effectively deliver ideas and knowledge, looking for paradigm shifts in society, environment and politics.
CATRAIA aims to be a festival designed “from people to people” where anyone can join and contribute, assuring the project continuity for many years to come, as well as expanding the fields of intervention. By visiting local schools to share information about the festival and enhancing new learning experiences, we can bring younger generations to the table, ensuring not only the success but most importantly project continuity with a renewal of the developing teams. Renewing the production team with the younger generation helps to mitigate repetitive thinking and allows new issues and themes being brought to the table of discussion.
CATRAIA’s overall goal is to promote sustainable practices in a fun and educational environment that involves different activities and events. With the exception of the concerts and town specific events, most of the activities have an open sourced technical sheet and are replicable in a number of different contexts. The implementation of those initiatives is possible in different geographical, cultural and societal contexts, only depending on its adaptation to those same contexts. Moreover, the weight of each type of activity and topic can be adapted in order to accommodate certain gaps in locations where specific targets need to be met.
The lectures and workshops replication in different contexts is possible due to the open-sourced technical sheet provided by CATRAIA. Examples of activities that could be done in other locations are the planting of trees and the cleaning actions, such as on the beach, via trash collection.
The lectures and workshops replication in different contexts is possible due to the open-sourced technical sheet provided by CATRAIA. Examples of activities that could be done in other locations are the planting of trees and the cleaning actions, such as on the beach, via trash collection.
As a multidisciplinary festival, CATRAIA tries to approach the following challenges in every edition: Climate/Environmental collapse, Societal division/polarisation, and Political disinformation.
CATRAIA addresses the cited issues by making sure there is always space to learn about environmental issues by experts in the field, hosting activities that tackle climate action, and encouraging governmental involvement in social issues by creating a more transparent way of governance, as well as taking action against Climate Change.
The climate and environmental challenges and problems are addressed via the activities in the festival’s programme. A host of those are designed to learn about and apply alternative practices and habits that reduce our negative impact on the planet, focusing on making use of existing infrastructure, spaces, and materials.
CATRAIA understands that disinformation is a significant problem at many levels and in many fields that concern the community as a whole. There is an overall attempt to involve everyone in conversations and healthy discussions on several relevant topics, not only through the conversations and presentations with invited guests, but also within the general ambiance of the festival. The goal is to introduce new perspectives, creating a space where everyone can share and question, and ultimately motivate well-supported thought processes and opinions that can evolve into actions that impact the community, whether political or societal, even independent from the festival.
CATRAIA addresses the cited issues by making sure there is always space to learn about environmental issues by experts in the field, hosting activities that tackle climate action, and encouraging governmental involvement in social issues by creating a more transparent way of governance, as well as taking action against Climate Change.
The climate and environmental challenges and problems are addressed via the activities in the festival’s programme. A host of those are designed to learn about and apply alternative practices and habits that reduce our negative impact on the planet, focusing on making use of existing infrastructure, spaces, and materials.
CATRAIA understands that disinformation is a significant problem at many levels and in many fields that concern the community as a whole. There is an overall attempt to involve everyone in conversations and healthy discussions on several relevant topics, not only through the conversations and presentations with invited guests, but also within the general ambiance of the festival. The goal is to introduce new perspectives, creating a space where everyone can share and question, and ultimately motivate well-supported thought processes and opinions that can evolve into actions that impact the community, whether political or societal, even independent from the festival.
The sense of community that CATRAIA calls for, stimulates and creates is unmatched. Every year, more people apply to participate as volunteers and there is a clear notability of the festival as people spread the word and are more aware of climate issues and the urge to change the behaviours that impact our planet negatively.
CATRAIA holds an unprecedented debate between governmental organisations at national and local forest management level, in a conversation open to the community, allowing the community to have a place to share their concerns with higher level entities for the first time.
Since 2019, the festival has accomplished the following:
• Over 200 children involved in forest activities;
• 120 children tried surfing for the first time
• 2 guided visits to the surrounding natural lagoons;
• More than 1000 people participating in beach cleaning actions (around 5 tons of litter in 5 years);
• 1 reconnaissance activity for dune species, guided by expert biologists;
• 8 murals painted by local artists;
• Inauguration of Tocha’s music school, with the help and support of the festival;
• Several pieces of art created for the festival with sustainable materials/marine waste/surf suits.
CATRAIA boosted the allocation of municipal support to other sustainability projects as it demonstrated success and powerful impact and results on the population.
CATRAIA holds an unprecedented debate between governmental organisations at national and local forest management level, in a conversation open to the community, allowing the community to have a place to share their concerns with higher level entities for the first time.
Since 2019, the festival has accomplished the following:
• Over 200 children involved in forest activities;
• 120 children tried surfing for the first time
• 2 guided visits to the surrounding natural lagoons;
• More than 1000 people participating in beach cleaning actions (around 5 tons of litter in 5 years);
• 1 reconnaissance activity for dune species, guided by expert biologists;
• 8 murals painted by local artists;
• Inauguration of Tocha’s music school, with the help and support of the festival;
• Several pieces of art created for the festival with sustainable materials/marine waste/surf suits.
CATRAIA boosted the allocation of municipal support to other sustainability projects as it demonstrated success and powerful impact and results on the population.
