Central level

Encouraging and ensuring access by all citizens to the means and instruments for cultural activities, and reducing the country's existing asymmetries in this respect;

• Supporting initiatives that stimulate individual and joint creative skills in all its many forms and expressions, and that stimulate the enhanced dissemination of  high quality cultural works and items;
• Promoting the safeguarding and enhancement of the cultural heritage and making it an element that inspires a common cultural identity;
• Developing cultural relations with all peoples, especially those that are Portuguese speaking;
• Ensuring the defence and promotion of Portuguese culture abroad, and
• Coordinating the cultural policy with the other sectoral policies.
• National Libraries Network and Museums Network

Responsible ministries/bodies

Ministry of Culture

Regional level

The Azores:

• Historical, ethnographic, artistic, monumental, architectural, archaeological and scientific matters;
• Cultural facilities, including museums and libraries;
• Providing support for intellectual and artistic creation;
• Folklore;
• Public shows and amusements, and
• Cultural patronage.
  

Madeira:

• The classification, protection and enhancement of cultural heritage;
• Museums, libraries and archives, and
• Entertainment and public amusements
• Crafts and folklore.

Responsible ministries/bodies

Regional Authorities of Azores and Madeira

Local level

Municipalities are responsible for:

• Culture centres, science centres, libraries, theatres and municipal museums;
• Cultural heritage, landscape and urbanism;
• The conservation and restoration of heritage and cultural areas;
• The management of museums, buildings and sites, classified in terms defined by law, and
• Providing support for cultural projects and activities of municipal interest.
  

Intermunicipal entities are responsible for:

• Same areas, under agreement with the municipalities

Parishes are responsible for:

• establishing the general rules of administration of the heritage of the parish or under their jurisdiction
• Promoting and implement projects for Community action in sport
• supporting cultural activities of interest to the parish;

Responsible ministries/bodies

Municipalities

Sources

Compendium, Country Profile, Portugal

Cultural networks: rhetoric, policy and practice in Portugal, Faculty of Economics, University of Porto, 2015

Estatuto Político-Administrativo da Região Autónoma da Madeira  (Law 130/99 of 29 August).

Estatuto Político-Administrativo da Região Autónoma dos Açores (Law 2/2009 of 12 January).

Law 75/2013 Legal Regime of Local Authorities

Law 50/2018 Transference of Competences to Local Governments and Intermunicipal Entities

Law 51/2018 Local Finances Legal Framework