The Regional Government, through the Regional Directorate for Culture under the administration of the Regional Secretariat for Education and Culture, joins the celebrations of the European Heritage Days. This year's edition will be dedicated to the theme "Arts, Heritage, Leisure" with an activity programme running from September 26 to 29.
 
On September 27, the Graciosa Museum will promote field trips for the students attending the local Basic Education and Secondary School from 10 AM. They will begin with the exhibition of a video on whaling watching in the Azores, followed by an educational visit to the permanent exhibition of Santa Cruz da Graciosa Whaling Boat Shed.
 
Between September 26 and 28, the Francisco de Lacerda Museum, S. Jorge Island, will mark the European Heritage Days with a series of activities combining heritage with the arts based on the temporary exhibition entitled "Colours of the Earth: Dye production on the Islands."
 
In the same period of time, there will be natural dye production workshops directed at young people from the age of 14. On September 28, the museum will organise a silk painting workshop for adults starting at 3 PM, during which participants will learn about silk painting and printing techniques; they will then paint their own handkerchief. 
 
The Carlos Machado Museum in Ponta Delgada will also join these celebrations by promoting two initiatives.
 
On September 27, the museum will organise a workshop based on the "Migrant Holy Spirit" exhibition, which addresses this festivity since its origins to the present day, both in the archipelago and the diaspora.
 
In this activity, starting at 7 PM, a group of Holy Spirit "foliões" (traditional Holy Spirit singers) from Bretanha will work with teachers and students from the Ponta Delgada Regional Conservatory on this tradition.
 
The result of this workshop will be presented to the public at a free-admission session to be held at Colégio Church at 7:30 PM, being preceded by a guided tour to the aforementioned exhibition by its curator, Catarina Faria.
 
Besides this initiative, the Carlos Machado Museum in partnership with ASISM - Association of the Deaf of São Miguel Island promotes the "Masters of Ceramic Tiles" workshop-visit on September 28 from 10 AM to 1 PM. The activity intends to disseminate the history and production techniques of the ceramic tiles that can be found at Colégio Church, and will be accompanied by a PSL (Portuguese Sign Language) interpreter.
 
It be followed by a workshop, where participants will be invited to create their own tile panel.
 
This activity is open to adults and children from the age of 8 accompanied by adults. Participants are required to register by telephone 296 202 930.
 
In turn, the Pico Museum marks this celebration with two free-admission events.
 
On Friday, September 27, the first will take place at 9 PM at the Temporary Exhibition Gallery of the Whaling Industry Museum in São Roque do Pico, where part of the Pico Museum's art collection will be revisited.
 
This exhibition features works by artists such as Júlio Pomar, David de Almeida, Rogério Silva, Luís França, Carlos Centeno, Rui Ribeiro, Raul Gonçalves and KarlHeinz Mischke, among others.
 
On the following day, the documentary under the title "Pico Vineyards - Land of Opportunities" by Paulo Henrique Silva will be screened at the Auditorium of the Whaling Museum in Lajes do Pico at 9 PM.
 
Presented during the 15th anniversary celebrations of the classification of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture Protected Landscape and its designation as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this work embarks on journey through the application process and classification of Pico vineyards as world heritage site.
 
For its part, the Flores Museum marks the European Heritage Days on September 27 with guided tours to the recently restored altarpiece of the main chapel of São Boaventura Convent Church at 11 AM, 3 PM, 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM.
 
This restoration intervention consisted of cleaning and setting up the polychrome layer, which showed clear signs of detachment. The replacement of the gold and polychrome coating will be carried out in a future intervention.
 
Regarding the altarpiece, it is known that it was assembled after 1727 as a sum of money was donated on that date for the completion of the main chapel.
 
It was carved in gilded and polychrome cedar wood and falls under the baroque altarpieces with profuse decoration of eucharistic motifs (grape leaves and grapes) and stylised acanthuses.
 
Also, in the context of the European Heritage Days 2019, the Horta Museum will hold guided tours to Nossa Senhora do Carmo Church between September 27 and 29.
 
This 17th-century building was the first Carmelite church to be built outside Mainland Portugal, having reopened for worship services after long recovery works.
 
This initiative promoted by the Horta Museum is aimed at schools with the goal of disseminating the church's history as well as its 18th-century tile panel.
 
In turn, the Angra do Heroísmo Museum joins the European Heritage Days 2019 by promoting the joint opening of the exhibitions entitled "Children of the Light - Photography by Timothy Lima" and "Island Thinking - Re-act Contemporary 2019 Edition" on September 28 at 9 PM. This night will mark the renewal of the exhibitions on display at the Chapter and Dacosta rooms with a musical performance by João da Ilha.
 
The "Island Thinking" exhibition features works by three internationally renowned artists, namely Jakob Kudsk Steensen (Denmark/USA), Paul Rosero Contreras (Ecuador) and Regina de Miguel (Spain/Germany); it is curated by Irene Campolmi and Àngels Miralda.
 
The presentation of this project reflects the result of the research work carried out in the context of the 2019 edition of the artistic residency and contemporary arts laboratory "Re_act Contemporary." This project co-founded by Paulo Arraiano and Paulo Ávila Sousa is taking place on Terceira Island until September 27.
 
"Children of Light" will be on display at the Chapter Room until January 26, while "Island Thinking" may be visited at the Dacosta Room until January 19.
 
The European Heritage Days are an annual initiative promoted by the Council of Europe and the European Union involving around 50 countries with the aim of raising citizens' awareness for the importance of safeguarding heritage.
 
In Portugal, the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage is the entity responsible for coordinating this initiative.
 
The Regional Directorate for Culture informs that these and other events are available for consultation on the Cultural Agenda of the Portal CulturAçores at www.culturacores.gov.pt.