Local Markets: a borderless creative experience

Family photo of the participants in the BIP Local Markets held recently at the Bragança Polytechnic University in Portugal.

The 4th edition of the BIP – Blended Intensive Programme Local Markets, organised by Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), has concluded, bringing together 33 students and nine teachers from Portugal, Romania, Spain, Croatia, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Moldova, and Brazil. This cross-border programme, in which students from STARS EU participated, blends culture, art, community, and international cooperation.

Over the course of two months, participants undertook a multidisciplinary creative journey in Multimedia, developing projects in photography, design, audiovisual media, and illustration. Final presentations were held last week in Mirandela and Bragança, the heart of the programme’s in-person activities.

The program was developed from a holistic perspective as a starting point for developing creative projects in animation, design, photography, film, drawing, architecture, digital media, and music. These initiatives are closely linked to local markets and their cultural origins, ensuring their relevance and authenticity.

Coordinated by Professors Ana Lúcia Pinto and Carlos Casimiro Costa from the Multimedia degree at EsACT-IPB, with support from Tiago Fernandes, Arlindo Santos, and Roberto Vaz, through the Integrated Project curricular unit, the programme was carried out in collaboration with several partner institutions: Ștefan cel Mare University (Suceava, Romania), Politehnica University of Timișoara (Romania), University of La Laguna (Spain), Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic), University of Osijek (Croatia), University of the National Education Commission (Poland), and the Federal Institute of Science and Technology of Maranhão (Brazil).

Special recognition is given to Kinga Racoń-Leja (Poland) and Jana Orlova (Czech Republic), representing STARS EU, and to Stefan Sfichi (Romania), the project’s longest-standing international partner.

Local visits

Local partners played a vital role in the success of the programme, including Galeria do Mercado, Graça Morais Mountain Arts Lab, ACIMirandela, Georges Dussaud Photography Centre, Côa Museum, the Confraria da Alheira de Mirandela, Padaria Seramota, Café Rodrigues, the Cooperative of Honey and Nuts from Terra Quente, and the Municipality of Mirandela. The initiative also received institutional support from EsACT-IPB and ESEB.

The programme also celebrated community spirit and friendship, with music by Eduardo Beça closing the week in true Erasmus+ style.