The Vale da Amoreira as a socially creative space, or the suburban art of (in) visibility?

Resumo

Socially creative spaces are those in which arts exist as instruments of social innovation, that is, instruments to fight exclusion, reconfiguration of power relations and promotion of community empowerment. In this article we look at Vale da Amoreira and its process of affirmation as socially creative space, within the framework of Critical Neighbourhoods Initiative implementation and development. Based on a number of interviews made near key-actors for the deployment of that same process, the (pre)existent conditions in Vale da Amoreira explaining the centrality of arts, the kind of social innovation that was promoted and the role played by the Artistic Experimentation Centre were examined. Conclusions show that, as socially creative space, Vale da Amoreira is an experience of socio-spatial transformation, qualification and revalorization that, not being a flop, can be seen as a relative failure.