Rising Tide

Based as we are in two creative cities with restless and innovative young communities, it’s natural that we find ourselves intrigued by places around the world that mirror Manchester and Leeds in that respect. In our latest collaboration with Intern, we’re telling the story of Porto’s vibrant, creative scene. Portugal is now being described as a country “coming back from the brink”, one where youth unemployment soared to almost 40% following the 2011 financial bailout. Teresa Santos has grown up in that economic climate and the writer was commissioned by Intern to tell her story of a city on the rise. An increasingly popular holiday destination, Porto’s costal charm is supplemented by a vibrant youth-led arts scene and in this feature, Teresa meets a visual artist, photographer, graphic designers and a man who has created a cultural space to empower the new generation of thinkers, makers and doers. 

It’s the insider’s tour of Porto that you’ve always wanted and one that explains why the city has such a great energy and colour. Photographed by Sofia Borba Costa  we invite you to take a journey to the Iberian Peninsula, if only to get away from the cold for a few minutes by reading the story here. 

Intern is a platform for and by the creative youth, who strive to empower young people through conversation, training, support and storytelling. We’re delighted to be partnering with them as we’ve got plenty of experience of supporting and working with creative communities. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or visit their site for more. Keep your eyes peeled for some future collaborations as well.