Viana do Castelo hosted the first edition of the Performativity(ies) of Memory(ies) Interdisciplinary Conference
On 23 and 24 October 2025, the School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (ESE-IPVC) hosted the first edition of the Performativity(ies) of Memory(ies) Interdisciplinary Conference, an international meeting dedicated to reflection and interdisciplinary dialogue on the relationship between performativity and memory.
The conference was organised by the School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (ESE-IPVC) and ID+ - Institute for Research in Design, Media and Culture Research of the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, with the support of the Municipality of Viana do Castelo, bringing together researchers, artists and academics from 25 countries.
The event aimed to create a space for sharing knowledge and exchanging practices and perspectives, exploring how memory is experienced, represented and reinterpreted through the arts, culture and social sciences.
The four keynote speeches, given by internationally renowned researchers, were among the highlights: Eleni Ikoniadou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece); Laura Castro (Portuguese Catholic University, Portugal); Leonor Areal (NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal); and Sarah Bay-Cheng (University of Toronto, Canada).
The programme also featured performances by Patrícia Oliveira and Pedro Sousa, who explored the living and sensory dimensions of memory through performative language.
The programme included panel discussions, which addressed the theme of the performativity of memory from multiple approaches - theoretical, aesthetic, political and experimental. Over two days, participants reflected on how the past is activated and transformed in the present, and on the role of art and research in the preservation and reinvention of collective and individual memories.
Throughout the conference, the atmosphere of dialogue and international collaboration stood out, allowing different cultures and areas of knowledge to come together. The discussions revealed the richness and diversity of contemporary approaches to memory, reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinary research and the sharing of experiences between academia and artistic practice.
This first edition of the Performativity(ies) of Memory(ies) Interdisciplinary Conference established itself as a space for critical reflection, creativity and encounter, reaffirming its commitment to promoting research, culture and dialogue between different fields of knowledge.