Academy of Arts of the Azores

Category: Culture and Entertainment > Arts Centre

District: Açores > Ponta Delgada > Ponta Delgada > São Pedro

Location

The Azores Academy of Arts is located in Ponta Delgada, in the São Pedro area. The building stands on an elevated platform, accessed by a wide, three-flight staircase, adorned with artistic cobblestone paving. This position offers an interesting perspective on the surrounding urban area, integrating seamlessly into the city's fabric.

A Monumental Past

This cultural space has deep roots in Ponta Delgada's history. The Academy occupies the former Convent of Nossa Senhora da Graça (Our Lady of Grace), an imposing example of 17th-century religious architecture. Founded by Augustinian friars, the convent served as a center for theological and philosophical studies for the order.

After the extinction of religious orders in the 19th century, the building adapted to various civil functions. It served as a Lyceum (high school), where figures like Antero de Quental and Teófilo Braga studied, and housed the first nucleus of the Azores Natural History Museum. It also functioned as a gymnasium, a court, and finance services, demonstrating its importance and adaptability throughout the centuries.

An Artistic and Cultural Hub

Since 1981, the old convent gained a new life as a home for the arts, initially as the Free Academy of Arts and, from 1995, as the Azores Academy of Arts. Its main purpose is the teaching, promotion, and dissemination of the region's various artistic expressions. Here, visitors can find exhibitions of visual arts and handicrafts, often resulting from the work developed in its various ateliers, which cover painting, ceramics, engraving, theater, and dance. The Academy functions as a dynamic center where Azorean creativity takes shape and is shared.

Architecture and Environment

The Academy of Arts building is, in itself, an element of architectural interest. Its main facade, facing south, stands out with its three naves and an entrance gallery, marked by arches and windows with twisted basalt columns. The interior, once a religious space, features plastered walls painted white and a false vaulted ceiling, which confer a sense of spaciousness and simplicity.

The quadrangular cloister, with its arcades, is a central element of the complex, having been adapted to host events and an auditorium. This environment provides a unique setting for cultural enjoyment and the artistic activities that take place there.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt