Casa Capitão is for everyone

The Casa Capitão Opening Party, which runs for three days, from this Friday, 19, until next Sunday, already lets you guess what’s to come. This weekend’s programme includes concerts, clubbing, performances, children’s workshops, film screenings, workshops, book presentations, and food. This is what this “mini cultural center” is intended to be, as defined by Gonçalo Riscado, one of the two directors (along with his brother João) of the most recent project by CTL – Cultural Trend Lisbon, which recently closed Musicbox, in Cais do Sodré.

They’ve long been considering how to transform 119 Rua do Grilo, after signing a concession agreement with the Lisbon City Council for its operation over five years ago. The building is part of what is now known as the Beato Innovation District, the complex that resulted from the conversion of the former Military Maintenance factories, founded in 1897.

With the pandemic, everything was postponed, but during the two summers when only outdoor events or limited attendance were permitted, they created a pop-up there, taking advantage of the terrace to host concerts and various other activities (more than 600, counting those that could be held indoors). Then, they set out to find the conditions that would allow them to move forward with the complex renovation work on the space that served as the residence of the former Military Maintenance commander.

From the Attic to the Terrace

This Friday, the doors of this project finally open, which Gonçalo Riscado admits is “risky” due to its ambition and scale. Organized by “floors”—Ground Floor, First Floor, Attic, Patio and Terrace—these spaces are designed to be fully flexible and capable of hosting a variety of activities. While the ground floor houses the multipurpose room that perpetuates the Musicbox legacy and seats approximately 400 people, but can be adapted for a much smaller audience, the blackbox in the Attic can host clubbing nights, as well as performances, workshops, and more intimate shows. Outside, the Patio serves as a natural stage for a variety of artistic interventions, and the Terrace has been transformed into a small open-air auditorium.

The first floor offers a privileged location for two of Casa Capitão’s signature features: Mesa and Quiosque. In the dining area—”we don’t call it a restaurant because food is also a cultural intervention,” argues Gonçalo—sandwiches made with papo-secos cooked right there will be on sale, on a menu designed by chef Bernardo Agrela, who will organize special dinners (with tickets, as if it were a show) and meetings with other chefs and creators. They also promise to use the grill and host a barbecue on Saturday, as well as feijoada on Sunday, in partnership with Gira collective.

The Quiosque, meanwhile, features programming centered around books. “It’s like our own little Festival Silêncio [one of CTL’s projects]: the word as a unit of creation, as a starting point for planning anything and discussing anything,” explains the cultural manager. Mesa de Cabeceira (Bedside Table) will be Quiosque’s regular programme, inviting guests to select books for sale and, around them, organize activities (the debut will be with Joana Guerra Tadeu). Also taking place at Quiosque in October will be several initiatives from MIL – Lisbon International Music Network, the festival organized by CTL dedicated to “the discovery, promotion, appreciation, and internationalization of contemporary popular music and a reflection on cultural policies and practices.”

Finally, at Casa Capitão, Baile will take place, the brand that describes “the place after midnight, for dancing” and which can take place anywhere in the building.

Culture as action

The idea is to have regular programming and for the doors to be open day and night, especially on weekends. On Saturdays and Sundays, says Gonçalo Riscado, hours can extend from ten am to six am “We want people to come, encounter each other, and also encounter things they wouldn’t expect. These meeting places for different arts and different audiences have always been of great interest to us, and I think it’s through them that community and critical thinking develop.” Therefore, he defines Casa Capitão as “a place for being, for community, for critical thinking, for debate, for encounters, and for opportunities.” He reinforces: “Contrary to what people say, I believe there can be a space for everyone—everyone who connects with art and culture. We are all agents of culture, and we should all have the opportunity to exercise our cultural rights. It is with this in mind that Casa Capitão emerged.”

Perhaps this is why the name they chose for the project is not surprising. “We’ve come to occupy a military building, and if there’s anything that brings joy and reminds us of freedom and revolution, it’s the Captains of April. This will, therefore, be a place of remembrance and advocacy for the importance of acting on that memory. We want to embody this in our programming and interventions.”

Those who enter are not mistaken, as they clearly state this right from the outset in their introduction on the Casa Capitão website: “We believe in culture as action, critical and collective force. A place of freedom and disobedience, where diverse voices, experiences, and worldviews meet in dialogue. We take a clear stance against all forms of oppression. In our house, there is no room for xenophobic, racist, sexist, LGBTphobic, or discriminatory discourse. We welcome those who create and participate. We value artistic freedom, critical thinking, attentive listening, and working together.” For Gonçalo, it’s important to say this bluntly and without mincing words. “We need to have manifestos because, contrary to what we thought, there are many things we took for granted that are not. I think we are, once again, living in a time of struggle.” And it must be based on these statements, which must then be substantiated in practice, in the way we program and behave.”

If there were any doubts, one would only need to check the programme already announced for these three days and the coming months. It’s up to Capicua, this Friday, to be the face of the launch of this house that’s for everyone.