As part of the 70th anniversary of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, CAM has created, in partnership with the Plano Nacional das Artes, a participatory project involving 10th grade classes from the PNA school network on the mainland, located outside the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, and in collaboration with local cultural institutions, with the aim of increasing access to the CAM Collection.

Following a call for entries open to schools in the PNA network until 20 January 2026, 13 proposals were received from across mainland Portugal. Taking into account that the selection process favoured areas with low population density, as well as diversity in partnerships and representation of coastal/inland, urban/rural and North/South areas, three schools were selected.

A class from Vale de Ovil Elementary and Secondary School, in the municipality of Baião, was chosen, in partnership with MACC Baião – Mosteiro de Ancede Centro Cultural; another from António Inácio da Cruz Secondary School, in the municipality of Grândola, in partnership with the Grândola Municipal Library and Archive; and a class from the Peniche Secondary School, in the municipality of Peniche, in partnership with the National Museum of Resistance and Freedom – Peniche Fortress.

The project, which will take place between February and December 2026 and is closely linked to local heritage, encourages young people to express themselves and participate actively through their relationship with contemporary art. This will include a visit by students to CAM and its storage facilities to view the works in the collection.

As a final project, each school will set up an exhibition, through a participatory curatorial process, at the local host partner, which will be open to the public between October and December 2026. These exhibitions, which will include works from the CAM Collection and, eventually, local collections, will feature mediation activities organised by the students.