Part of the year-long Braga 25 programme celebrating Braga as the Portuguese Capital of Culture, Portugal’s new four-day music showcase, SQUARE, launched in April 2024, is set to illuminate national creativity within a broader international context, enriching the city’s vibrant cultural landscape. More than a conventional showcase festival, SQUARE serves as an artist-centric networking platform dedicated to grassroots and progressive industry practitioners who champion diversity and innovation. Its mission is to connect independent promoters with new audiences and emerging cultural movements.
The conference theme, MARGIN, will explore this multifaceted concept through a comprehensive three-day industry programme. The first day will investigate the physical margins of countries bordering the Atlantic, examining geomusicality, terrain, and accidentality. The second day will juxtapose margins with the centre, addressing issues of access and accessibility, as well as the notion of the centre—whether Anglo-American or European—as a prevailing force. Finally, the third day will concentrate on the survival of independent artists, the challenges of precarious labour, and the financial margins within the music industry.
Building on its previously announced list of Creative partners, SQUARE is thrilled to expand its roster with new national and international collaborations. Selected for their reputation in providing a platform for new and exciting artists, new partners aim to strengthen the vision of diversity in the European, African and American music markets. Among them are the non-profit Associação Ecos Culturais do Louro, the influential Porto-based promoter, record label and producer Lovers & Lollipops, along with their fellow Porto music adventurers Amplificasom.
On the international stage, the festival proudly welcomes the Slovak showcase Sharpe and Monkey Week in southern Spain, as well as the Canadian label River Down Records, dedicated to amplifying the vibrant sounds of Panamá. The innovative Mexican collective N.A.A.F.I., renowned for their movement to “decolonize the dancefloor,” joins this dynamic group, alongside IWA Fest that promises a distinctive cultural experience in the remarkable geopolitical setting of Melilla, an autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. Teams representing iconic venues, such as Basilica Hudson in Hudson, New York and Café Oto in London, UK bring their creative expertise and experience, along with the Cabo Verdean music platform Atlantic Music Expo dedicated to fostering transatlantic cultural exchanges.
Following an international Open Call held earlier this year, SQUARE is also excited to reveal its first 20 artists, featuring half selected from submissions and the other half nominated by its 25 Creative partners.
The international lineup showcases a vibrant array of talent that pushes the boundaries of both traditional and contemporary sounds. At the forefront are stalwarts of the Polish underground, ||ALA|MEDA||, who seamlessly blend global south rhythms with European avant-garde influences. Spanish artist Júlia Colom masterfully intertwines traditional Mallorca ‘tonades’ with her original compositions, while Angolan Afrobeat artist Tennaz fuses African rhythms with electronic beats. Colombian Julián Mayorga enchants with his energetic post-cumbia sound, weaving absurdist fables and defiant soundscapes. Songlines’ Music Awards 2023 nominee El Khat captivate audiences with infectious, heady soundscapes that blend Yemeni melodies, skittering drums, brass and unique DIY instruments. The Ukrainian experimental duo Huggen Luft reflect resilience through their avant-garde approach, while Glasgow’s queer-punk rebels Comfort challenge societal norms with electrifying performances. Pioneering Moroccan Gnawa musician Asmaa Hamzaoui and her band Bnat Timbouktou further enrich the festival’s diverse sonic spaces. Additional highlights include Peruvian experimentalist and researcher Ale Hop, who artfully combines electric guitar techniques with real-time sampling, and Spanish duo Caamaño & Ameixeiras, who beautifully intertwine Galician folk elements with contemporary influences.
Highlighting the richness of Portuguese artistry, SQUARE is set to feature innovative acts such as Unsafe Space Garden, a six-piece band with immersive performances blending rock, psychedelia, jazz, pop and folk. Mynda Guevara emerges as a revolutionary voice in Lisbon’s rap scene, championing women’s roles with empowering Creole lyrics, while Hetta, a post-hardcore band from Montijo, revitalises the genre with energetic dynamics and memorable grooves.
Alongside these artists, SQUARE presents Maria Reis, renowned for her poetic narratives and Isa Leen, who explores a dynamic fusion of pop, grime and techno. The collaboration between Tresor & Bosxh and Belladona & Lombwa creates an electrifying fusion of hardcore/techno reveries, blending dynamic improvisation with infectious rhythms. QUADRA delivers an intense sound that compels listeners to dance, while Gato Sapato employs humour to address contemporary social issues. Finally, Arianna Casellas & Kauê Gindri weave traditional fables with modern reflections, crafting music that embodies urgency and spontaneity.
