Fogaça, Voto e Memória _ a performance

Fogaça, Vote, and Memory It was a community-based creative project that brought together research, writing workshops, interviews, active listening, and artistic creation centered on the memory, identity, and tradition of the Fogaça de Santa Maria da Feira. Over the course of several months, various members of the community shared stories, memories, and experiences that gave rise to a collective process culminating in a public performance.

For several months, the writing sessions took place every Thursday. But before the writing began, there was silence, listening, and trust.

Each participant brought memories, hopes, doubts, and fragments of their lives to be explored through the written word. More than simply guiding writing exercises, this project sought to create a space where each person could be themselves without rushing, finding in artistic creation a place for connection, sharing, and friendship.

Throughout the research, testimonies were also collected from residents, merchants, producers, and representatives of various institutions linked to the Fogaça tradition, enriching the creative process and bridging the gap between the artistic dimension and the reality of the community.

The cycle concluded on January 9, 2025, with a performance that brought an intense journey of collective creation to a close.

This project reinforced a belief that underlies all of Diogo Divagações’ work: the belief that ears can connect hearts and that art remains a special space for listening, understanding, and building community.

Artistic research.

Interviews.

Creative writing.

Active listening.

Cultural mediation.

Collaborative creation.

Sonoplasty.

Playwriting.

Staging.

Performance.

The project was carried out in several phases.

In the first phase, research was conducted on the heritage, traditions, and people associated with the Fogaça de Santa Maria da Feira.

Subsequently, weekly creative writing and artistic expression sessions were held with community members, in which listening and sharing played a central role.

The interviews, the recordings collected, and the texts produced during the workshops served as the raw material for creating the performance presented at the end of the project.

Project developed with the support of the Municipality of Santa Maria da Feira.

Special thanks to Sara, Elsa, Américo, Carlos, Helena, Lélé, Teresa, Isabel, Ana Castro, Carla, Ana Murteira, Fátima, and Manuel.

We would also like to extend our deepest thanks to Diogo from Café Castelo, to Mr. Pinto from Renascer, to Elisabete Pinho, Master of the Confraria, to Mr. Rogério Portela, to Mr. Rodrigues, to Fernando Moreira, president of the Producers’ Association, and to producer Luciana Matos, whose interviews, gestures, and words enriched the research and development of this project.