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5 Places in Bombarda for Music Lovers
Bombarda is recognised as one of Porto's leading creative districts, where art, design, independent businesses and culture exist side by side. But there is another element that helps define the neighbourhood's identity: music.
More than a place to attend concerts, Bombarda is a place of discovery. Here you'll find spaces dedicated to vinyl, independent radio, cultural projects and creative communities that see music as a way of bringing people together, encouraging exchange and inspiring experimentation.
If you enjoy discovering new sounds, getting to know emerging artists or simply losing yourself among records and conversations about music, these five spaces are well worth a visit.
Matéria Prima
With more than three decades of history, Matéria Prima has become a landmark for anyone looking to discover music beyond the mainstream.
Specialising in vinyl records, books, magazines and independent publications, it offers a carefully curated catalogue while maintaining strong connections with independent labels and artists.
The venue regularly hosts presentations, launches and events dedicated to music culture, making Matéria Prima an essential stop for anyone eager to explore new sounds and independent musical projects. Know more
Open Box
Open Box is a cultural venue where different artistic disciplines come together, with music playing a central role in its programme. From intimate concerts and DJ sets to performances and multidisciplinary events, it offers opportunities to discover new artists and creative formats.
With a dynamic and ever-evolving programme, Open Box is a place worth keeping an eye on, as every visit has the potential to reveal a new experience—and perhaps even a new soundtrack for the neighbourhood. Know more
Circus Network
At Circus Network, music is an integral part of the project's identity.
Alongside its artistic and cultural programme, the space includes a Record Shop specialising in vinyl, where visitors can discover both new and second-hand releases spanning genres such as house, techno, jazz, soul, hip-hop, electronic and experimental music.
From record launches and informal gatherings to its strong connection with contemporary artistic practice, Circus Network is a place where music naturally intersects with art and visual culture. Know more
RÁDIO YÉYÉ
Yé Yé Radio has brought a new dimension to the neighbourhood by creating a space dedicated to independent radio and contemporary music culture.
Through regular broadcasts, curated shows, guest DJs and collaborative projects, it champions emerging artists and gives a platform to diverse creative communities.
More than just a radio studio, it is a meeting place where music is shared, discussed and celebrated, contributing to the cultural diversity that defines Bombarda. Know more
Mint Mint
For those who enjoy the experience of discovering music in physical format, Mint Mint is a must-visit destination.
Specialising in vinyl records, the shop offers a carefully curated selection spanning a wide range of genres and eras, making it a meeting point for collectors, DJs and anyone eager to explore new sounds.
Throughout the year, Mint Mint also hosts listening sessions, presentations and small-scale events that strengthen the connection between music and Bombarda's creative community. Know more
In Bombarda, music lives far beyond the stage.
It can be found in record shops that celebrate vinyl culture, independent radio stations that showcase emerging talent, and cultural spaces where different artistic expressions come together.
Each of these places contributes, in its own way, to the neighbourhood's creative identity, inviting visitors to experience music in a more personal and spontaneous way.
Drop by without a plan, let curiosity lead the way, and you might just discover your next favourite record—or your next playlist.
STORIES FROM
THE QUARTER
Discover the stories that fill the Bombarda Neighbourhood
What can emerge from the encounter between an object with almost three centuries of history and Bombarda’s contemporary creative scene?
Afinidades is built upon this encounter between different periods, artistic languages and ways of seeing. In each edition, an object from the collection of the Soares dos Reis National Museum is chosen as the starting point, inviting artists connected to the Bombarda Quarter to develop new interpretations and establish relationships between heritage, place and contemporary creation. Following two editions dedicated to contemporary jewellery and ceramics in 2024 and 2025, the project returns in 2026 to explore a new artistic field: contemporary graphic practices.
The 2026 Edition — Contemporary Graphic Practices
Curated by Júlio Dolbeth, an illustrator, researcher and professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto, this third edition invited artists working in or represented within the Bombarda area to create original works inspired by an object from the collection of the Soares dos Reis National Museum.
The project also features exhibition design by Sílvia Pinto Costa and production by Marina Costa and Vera Gonçalves, as part of a team bringing together members of both partner institutions.
The starting point was an English-style glass mug produced at the Royal Glass Factory of Coina between 1719 and 1747. Made from carefully cut, transparent colourless glass, the piece bears witness to the technical development of Portuguese glassmaking in the eighteenth century and to the circulation of knowledge and influences within the European context.
The transparency, brilliance, volume and history of this utilitarian object opened up multiple possibilities for interpretation. Through drawing, illustration, collage, printmaking and mixed-media practices, the artists were invited to translate matter into image and establish new relationships between object, memory and narrative.
The 2026 edition began on 28 March with a public session at the Soares dos Reis National Museum. The event introduced the programme, its source of inspiration, the curatorial approach and the open-call process, bringing together representatives from the Museum, Associação Quarteirão Criativo and the artistic community.
The presentation of the English-style glass mug by Paula Oliveira, manager of the Museum’s Furniture, Glass and Print collections, provided insight into the object’s historical, material and museological context. The session also revealed how an apparently simple object can hold multiple stories of production, circulation, use and transformation.
The programme extended beyond the open call. In May, the Museum hosted the Laminado Gráfico workshop, led by Júlio Dolbeth and Marta Belkot. Using Tetra Pak packaging repurposed as printing plates, participants explored the principles of intaglio printing and new ways of translating the volume and transparency of glass onto the surface of paper.
Through these different moments, Afinidades became more than an exhibition: it developed into a shared process of encounter, learning and creation involving artists, institutions and audiences.
Forty-Nine Interpretations of a Single Object
The outcome of this journey can now be seen in the exhibition Afinidades 2026 — Contemporary Graphic Practices, which opened on 25 July in the Sala das Pedras at the Soares dos Reis National Museum.
The exhibition brings together 49 works by artists connected to the Bombarda Quarter. Starting from the same object, each participant developed a unique interpretation, revealing the diversity of artistic languages, techniques and perspectives that characterises contemporary creative practice in the area.
Together, the works transform the English-style glass mug into a starting point for multiple narratives. Between the permanence of glass and the fragility of paper, between historical memory and a contemporary gaze, they show how heritage can remain alive when it is questioned, reinterpreted and brought into dialogue with new artistic practices.
Until 13 September, visitors can vote in person. The public vote, together with the jury’s assessment, will contribute to the selection of the winning work. The exhibition remains on view until 11 October 2026.
Afinidades thus establishes itself as a platform connecting the Soares dos Reis National Museum with Bombarda’s creative ecosystem. By bringing together heritage, place and contemporary creation, the project opens up new possibilities for discovery, both for Museum visitors and for those who live, work and create in the quarter.
Afinidades 2026 — Contemporary Graphic Practices Venue: Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis Dates:
Exhibition open until 11 October 2026
Public voting open until 13 September 2026
Photos: Associação Quarteirão Criativo, by João Octávio Peixoto
This edition of Afinidades is promoted by the Soares dos Reis National Museum in partnership with Associação Quarteirão Criativo, with patronage from the Super Bock Group, sponsorship from DORF and support from Círculo Dr. José de Figueiredo — Friends of the Soares dos Reis National Museum.
With a background in Fine Arts and a career spanning photography, design, ceramics, curating and teaching, Sílvia has developed a multidisciplinary practice in which different creative disciplines naturally inform and enrich one another.
At SCAR-ID, this journey takes shape through a curatorial approach grounded in quality, sustainability and the promotion of independent designers and makers.
"Ethics cannot be taught; it comes from within. Sustainability, in turn, is a responsibility that comes with the way we choose to position ourselves in society."
Q: How did your creative journey begin? How did it lead you to where you are today? What influence has your Fine Arts background had on your career?
A: My degree in Fine Arts at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto gave me a broad foundation that allowed me to work across different creative disciplines over the years. I've worked in photography, ceramics, design, curating and teaching, and I feel that this education is the thread that connects all the professional experiences I've accumulated.
Interestingly, I haven't painted since graduating. Perhaps one day I'll return to it.
My career has unfolded quite naturally, without a defined plan. Each opportunity led to the next — from photography to teaching, from Art History to coordinating the Product Design programme at IAI, and more recently to ceramics, where I rediscovered the pleasure of working directly with the material.
Q: Has any particular education or professional experience shaped your perspective on the relationship between design, ethics and sustainability?
A: My background in Fine Arts was fundamental in developing a broad understanding of the creative disciplines. In the case of SCAR-ID, much of what we've learned has come through twelve years of hands-on experience, facing challenges and finding creative ways to respond to them.
Ethics cannot be taught; it comes from within. Sustainability is a natural extension of that mindset. By introducing new products into an already saturated market, we believe it is our responsibility to do so with a sense of purpose, encouraging more conscious consumption: buying less, but buying better.
For us, sustainability is above all about proximity, responsibility and care.
Q: How would you describe the curatorial approach behind SCAR-ID? What role does having a physical space play in the project?
A: Curating happens very organically. I'm constantly paying attention to what's happening across the creative fields, so whenever I feel the need to introduce a new brand, organise an exhibition or host a conversation, it all comes together quite naturally.
Having a physical space is absolutely essential. We work with tangible objects and real people, and the shop-gallery is where those two dimensions come together.
I strongly believe in the importance of a vibrant city — one shaped by independent shops, galleries, cafés, studios, florists and cultural spaces that bring urban life to the streets. I feel that SCAR-ID is part of that dialogue and that ecosystem. To me, maintaining a physical shop-gallery is almost a manifesto in support of urban life and human connection.
SCAR-ID simply wouldn't make sense without that physical space.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing independent and sustainable design in Portugal today?
A: The main challenge remains the same: the limited purchasing power of Portuguese consumers. The products we present are fairly priced for the people who create them, but they are not always compatible with the country’s economic reality.
At the same time, small brands also face major production challenges. There is still limited openness within the industry to collaborating with independent designers and projects.
Q: What does the Miguel Bombarda neighbourhood mean to you?
A: We've been based in Bombarda for more than twelve years, and during that time the neighbourhood has evolved significantly. While it was once defined primarily by its art galleries, today it is also home to independent shops, studios, cafés, florists and many other projects that give it a distinctive character. It's this diversity that makes Bombarda such a special place to work.
There is a genuine sense of community, mutual support and closeness here. We know one another, we collaborate, and we know we can rely on each other whenever it's needed.
Portfolio
SCAR-ID brings together curating, independent design and artistic practice, showcasing independent brands, responsible production and projects spanning a range of creative disciplines, from ceramics to contemporary design.
SCAR-I10 — Open Call / Exhibition (2023) A project celebrating SCAR-ID's tenth anniversary, bringing together more than 50 participants through a multidisciplinary open call, a series of conversations and a final exhibition.
Liquid Amalgam — Stoneware Vase with White Glaze A ceramic piece created by the artist as part of SCAR-ID's 10th Anniversary Open Call. It is part of the ATER collection.
Jacket — Black Acrylic on White A piece from the ATER × LIV collection, created in collaboration with the brand LIV.
How to Collaborate
SCAR-ID is dedicated to curating and promoting independent designer brands and makers, bringing together fashion, accessories, ceramics and design objects produced with care and responsibility.
Alongside its shop-gallery, SCAR-ID also develops creative consultancy projects, curatorial collaborations, partnerships and mentoring for independent brands.
Whether you would like to discover the represented brands, propose a collaboration or visit the space, the SCAR-ID team is always happy to welcome new projects and new ideas.
In 2021, he founded Rádio YéYé, a digital platform he describes as "a reflection of the lifestyles that shape the contemporary urban fabric."
Built around a strong sense of community, intergenerational exchange and editorial independence, Rádio YéYé has quickly established itself as a platform for musical advocacy, collaboration and discovery. Bringing together dozens of presenters, DJs and creators, it is a radio station driven by people — not algorithms.
"A radio station driven by people, not algorithms."
In 2025, the project established its studio in the Miguel Bombarda Arts District, strengthening its connection to Porto's independent cultural ecosystem. It is a neighbourhood whose artistic energy mirrors the spirit of the radio itself: a collective project, open to encounters, experimentation and the discovery of new ways of listening to the world.
Q: How did your journey in music begin?
A: Forty-four years ago, as a DJ.
Q: Is there a project or collaboration that you consider a turning point in your career
A: Becoming an A&R at Nortesul Records, a role I held for 23 years (1994–2017).
Q: What challenges do you currently face in your field?
A: Finding sustainable ways to fund and support an activity aimed at niche audiences.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a radio station?
A: Forget about it! :)
Q: If you had to choose three tracks as the soundtrack to Bombarda, which would they be?
A: Liquid Mountains — Sven Wunder; Canal — Pedro Mizutani & Skinshape; Enter — Leroy Conroy.
Portfolio
Rádio YéYé is dedicated to independent music and contemporary culture, producing a diverse programme that champions emerging artists, live performances, concerts and original editorial content from its studio in Bombarda.
DJ Sets (44 Years of Activity) — Over the past four decades, Pedro Tenreiro has maintained an active career as a DJ, shaped by a deep commitment to musical research, discovery and a lasting connection to urban music cultures.
Rádio YéYé — Digital Music Curation Platform — Founder of Rádio YéYé, a digital platform dedicated to reflecting the lifestyles that shape the contemporary urban landscape while promoting alternative ways of discovering and experiencing music through an active community of presenters, DJs and creators.
A&R at Nortesul Records (1994–2017) — For 23 years, Pedro Tenreiro served as an A&R at Nortesul Records, contributing to the discovery, development and artistic direction of a wide range of musical projects.
How to Collaborate
Rádio YéYé is currently focused on producing live performances filmed and recorded at its studio.
While the station is not accepting new editorial collaborations at the moment, it welcomes sponsors and strategic partners interested in supporting new live music formats and independent cultural content.
Bombarda is recognised as one of Porto's leading creative districts, where art, design, independent businesses and culture exist side by side. But there is another element that helps define the neighbourhood's identity: music.
More than a place to attend concerts, Bombarda is a place of discovery. Here you'll find spaces dedicated to vinyl, independent radio, cultural projects and creative communities that see music as a way of bringing people together, encouraging exchange and inspiring experimentation.
If you enjoy discovering new sounds, getting to know emerging artists or simply losing yourself among records and conversations about music, these five spaces are well worth a visit.
Matéria Prima
With more than three decades of history, Matéria Prima has become a landmark for anyone looking to discover music beyond the mainstream.
Specialising in vinyl records, books, magazines and independent publications, it offers a carefully curated catalogue while maintaining strong connections with independent labels and artists.
The venue regularly hosts presentations, launches and events dedicated to music culture, making Matéria Prima an essential stop for anyone eager to explore new sounds and independent musical projects. Know more
Open Box
Open Box is a cultural venue where different artistic disciplines come together, with music playing a central role in its programme. From intimate concerts and DJ sets to performances and multidisciplinary events, it offers opportunities to discover new artists and creative formats.
With a dynamic and ever-evolving programme, Open Box is a place worth keeping an eye on, as every visit has the potential to reveal a new experience—and perhaps even a new soundtrack for the neighbourhood. Know more
Circus Network
At Circus Network, music is an integral part of the project's identity.
Alongside its artistic and cultural programme, the space includes a Record Shop specialising in vinyl, where visitors can discover both new and second-hand releases spanning genres such as house, techno, jazz, soul, hip-hop, electronic and experimental music.
From record launches and informal gatherings to its strong connection with contemporary artistic practice, Circus Network is a place where music naturally intersects with art and visual culture. Know more
RÁDIO YÉYÉ
Yé Yé Radio has brought a new dimension to the neighbourhood by creating a space dedicated to independent radio and contemporary music culture.
Through regular broadcasts, curated shows, guest DJs and collaborative projects, it champions emerging artists and gives a platform to diverse creative communities.
More than just a radio studio, it is a meeting place where music is shared, discussed and celebrated, contributing to the cultural diversity that defines Bombarda. Know more
Mint Mint
For those who enjoy the experience of discovering music in physical format, Mint Mint is a must-visit destination.
Specialising in vinyl records, the shop offers a carefully curated selection spanning a wide range of genres and eras, making it a meeting point for collectors, DJs and anyone eager to explore new sounds.
Throughout the year, Mint Mint also hosts listening sessions, presentations and small-scale events that strengthen the connection between music and Bombarda's creative community. Know more
In Bombarda, music lives far beyond the stage.
It can be found in record shops that celebrate vinyl culture, independent radio stations that showcase emerging talent, and cultural spaces where different artistic expressions come together.
Each of these places contributes, in its own way, to the neighbourhood's creative identity, inviting visitors to experience music in a more personal and spontaneous way.
Drop by without a plan, let curiosity lead the way, and you might just discover your next favourite record—or your next playlist.
Between photography, writing and curatorship, her work is shaped through observation, research and the creation of connections between images, texts and people. Her practice seeks to explore what remains unseen, questioning the ways we perceive the world and construct memory.
“The common thread between photography, writing and curating is the act of selecting, editing and choosing — deciding what will be spoken, seen and shared with the world.”
Q: What common thread do you find between photography, the written word and curating?
A: Photography, writing and curating are forms of expression that I use to engage with the questions and concerns of everyday life.
Although photography can sometimes take on a more commercial dimension, and writing a more academic one, both remain creative practices through which I continue to explore ideas and experiment.
Since childhood, reading has been a place of refuge and a territory of ideas. Photography, in turn, has always encouraged me to organise the world visually — whether through an individual object or through the composition of an exhibition. Curating emerged in a similar way, following an invitation from CRU Creative Hub after several years of collaboration. Over time, I realised that, at its core, everything I do is rooted in the same gesture: editing, composing and creating connections.
The common thread between these practices is precisely the act of selecting, editing and choosing — deciding what will be spoken, seen and shared with the world.
Q: What are your main sources of inspiration?
A: I’m inspired by authors who explore the experimental possibilities of language and writing.
I’m inspired by works that inhabit the territory of the infraordinary, the marginal and the invisible, whether through the materials they use, the techniques they employ or the relationships they establish.
I’m also inspired by the generosity of the people around me, by friendship, and by the simplicity that some works achieve only after a long process of maturation.
Ultimately, I find inspiration in everything and in nothing, always on the threshold between absolute boredom and infinite curiosity.
Q: What new creative challenges would you like to embrace in the coming years?
A: I want to continue developing the project Cartography for a Biography, initiated in 2024, expanding it through artist residencies, research and collaborations.
I also intend to deepen my work in experimental writing and publishing, whether in the form of artists’ books, essays or magazines. I would also like to continue collaborating with artists from different disciplines and further develop my work in exhibition design within curatorial practice.
In my academic research, I hope to continue exploring the relationship between photography and time.
Q: Is there an object or ritual that is always part of your working day?
A: I don't have any fixed objects or rituals, because no two days are ever the same. Even so, there is one gesture that almost always comes before work: preparing the space. Before I begin writing or imagining an image, I feel the need to tidy and reorganise my surroundings.
What usually follows is a period of wandering, some scattered reading, and a cup of coffee.
Q: What does Bombarda mean to you?
A: Bombarda embodies the living idea of community, in its broadest and deepest sense. It is a space of sharing, encounter and constant transformation, sustained by the diversity of its members and by an ethos of openness, hospitality and vitality.
For me, Bombarda has always been a place where projects and ideas take shape, where different forms of expression, ways of living and modes of creation meet and enter into dialogue.
Portfolio
Rossana Mendes Fonseca's artistic practice brings together photography, writing, curating and research, exploring the image as a territory of thought, memory and experimentation.
Translation into Portuguese of Virginia Woolf’s original English texts — Letter to a Young Poet, Street Haunting: A London Adventure, and Craftsmanship — accompanied by images created from black-and-white Polaroid emulsion lifts. August 2024.
Text on sketch paper, Polaroid emulsion lifts on watercolour paper, and oil-painted linen — objects from a biographical cartography, installed at Estúdio Aro from 28 June to 31 July 2024.
Artistic practice developed within the PhD in Contemporary Art at the College of Arts, University of Coimbra.
[trans]sombre, a series of four photographs created from a light choreography by Marta Cunha, featuring masks by Carmo Paulino and João Apolinário Mendes. Printed on photographic paper (70 × 100 cm) and exhibited at CRU Creative Hub from 21 March to 25 April 2015.
Cartographies of Deviations. Mapping Origins and Narratives — Group exhibition featuring works by Glorija Lizde, Izzy Benigno, Lana Stojićević, Stela Mikulin and Tanja Minarik, developed as the outcome of the Curatorial Residency at Culture Hub Croatia [PROSTOR], held from 4 August to 2 September 2024. The exhibition was on view from 28 August to 20 September 2024.
How to collaborate
Rossana Mendes Fonseca develops artistic, curatorial and editorial projects dedicated to photography, writing and visual culture. She undertakes photographic commissions, art direction, editorial projects, curatorship, residencies, workshops, teaching and consultancy in the fields of image and contemporary art.
She is available for artistic collaborations, research, cultural programming and interdisciplinary projects.
Between exhibitions, festivals, publishing projects and parallel initiatives such as Circus Records and Jazzego Records, André's career reflects a practice deeply rooted in experimentation and urban culture.
In a neighbourhood like Bombarda, where different creative languages intersect every day, his work has become a meeting point between artists, audiences and the city.
“There’s more to life than this.”
Q: Beyond Circus, we know you're involved in many other creative projects in Bombarda. Could you tell us a bit about your journey and how you balance all the different areas of your work?
A: In short, I juggle everything rather badly and by sleeping very little. Circus is undoubtedly my main project—right after my family (because being a father is a full-time role in itself)—and it's the one that takes up most of my time.
Q: How would you describe your curatorial process and the way you choose the artists you work with?
A: Every project has its own curatorial approach, shaped through an active process of discussion involving different collaborators. Specific briefs call for artists whose practice best fits the context and objectives. When the format is more open, our curatorial decisions are guided by a very simple principle: we choose what we genuinely believe is good—what captures our attention, resonates with us, and excites us at that particular moment.
Q: What are your main sources of inspiration and aesthetic references?
A: At the moment, I'm particularly inspired by the post-graffiti movement, which brings a new abstract dimension to mural art. I've also been very interested in the work of the Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez, as well as the lookbooks of designer Salehe Bembury. That said, much of my inspiration still comes from the same places it always has: sneaker culture and album cover art. It's not unusual to find references to Wu-Tang Clan and other classics in the exhibitions we curate.
Q: What are some of the songs you've been listening to lately? And is there a book that has had a lasting impact on you?
A: Some of the tracks I've been listening to recently include:
Gaztween – Firewater ft. B. Ghost, Black Lavender, Minus & MRDolly;
Fiasco – Que Seja
Pedro Ricardo & Damián Botigué – Cerca de Mi
Fleetwood Mac – Landslide
John Coltrane – Favorite Things
A: A book that has had a lasting impact on me is Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.
Q: Which places in Bombarda would you recommend to someone wanting to discover the neighbourhood's creative scene?
A: I'd recommend Bicho, Época, Matéria Prima, Ó Cerâmica, Cruzes Canhoto, and Decomur.
Portfolio
Circus Network's practice spans a range of formats, including festivals, exhibitions, music publishing, and collaborative creative projects.
Fenda — International Public Art Festival A festival that fosters dialogue between artists, communities, and the urban environment. Curated by Circus Network, it brings together national and international artists to create murals, installations, and collaborative projects that transform the city's public space.
Dollar Dollar Bills Y’All — International Group Exhibition An exhibition bringing together 27 artists from around the world, each invited to transform the rare two-dollar bill into a unique work of art. Combining traditional artistic techniques with augmented reality, the project explores new possibilities for visual expression. Granito I — Jazzego Records (2022) The debut compilation released by Jazzego Records, bringing together musicians and producers from the contemporary jazz and electronic music scene. The album celebrates sonic experimentation and a collaborative approach to music-making.
How to Collaborate
Circus Network operates as a gallery, concept store, and creative agency, developing projects in curatorship, artist representation, publishing, event production, and independent music releases. The team is open to collaborations, exhibitions, artist residencies, and creative proposals.
