Junho em Cena – Performing Arts Showcase
The fourth edition of Junho em Cena turns Portalegre into a vast stage of theatre and performing arts for nearly a month. The showcase brings performances, workshops and training sessions to cultural venues across the city and to the rural parishes of the municipality.
Junho em Cena – Performing Arts Showcase returns in 2026 for its fourth edition, cementing its status as the leading theatre and performing arts event in the Alto Alentejo. Organised by the Municipality of Portalegre, the showcase runs from 25 May to 21 June 2026, taking over performance halls, convents, libraries and open-air spaces across the city and the wider municipality.
The programme features more than a dozen theatre plays, performances, staged readings, workshops and training sessions, bringing together professional companies, school theatre groups and informal collectives. The Centro de Artes do Espetáculo de Portalegre (CAE) is the festival's beating heart, hosting premieres and the largest productions, while the Convento de São Francisco, Convento de Santa Clara and the Municipal Library welcome more intimate proposals.
A defining feature of this edition is its commitment to decentralisation: several pieces travel to the rural parishes of the municipality, bringing theatre to audiences that rarely have access to urban cultural programming. Activities include stage photography workshops, training sessions for emerging creators, and meet-the-artist encounters with the local community.
Junho em Cena was born with the aim of restoring to Portalegre a cultural vitality that had been lost, and over its editions it has become an essential gathering point for lovers of contemporary theatre in Portugal's interior. For visitors, it is a rare opportunity to discover the city's historic heritage through performances that engage with the spaces in which they unfold. Entry to many events is free, with advance booking required for indoor shows. The full programme can be consulted at the CAE Portalegre blog.
