The new Music Conservatory in Loulé has been opened by Portugal’s Prime Minister, António Costa, in a ceremony this morning.
This is a leap forward in music education for the region after the Ministry of Education and Loulé Council cooperated in a €3 million spend to create the Solar da Música Nova and provide the necessary teaching staff.
The Minister of Education, Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, also attended the inauguration that coincides with the official start of the 2018/2019 school year.
Loulé is now home to the only public music conservatory south of Lisbon. The Conservatório de Música de Loulé has the capacity to teach 400 students.
According to the Council, the renovated building also will accommodate the headquarters of the Sociedade Filarmónica Artistas de Minerva as well as the new music school.
The Council supplied the building and covered the conversion costs while the Ministry is paying the ongoing administration and teaching costs.
The prime minister told guests that Portugal is, 'a land with a tradition of culture; an excellent example of how we can work in partnership, all on the same side, which is an example for the country."
Solar da Música Nova before work commenced