Emerging

Domingos Braganca is in a hurry, and anyone who wants to accompany him has to match his stride as the deputy mayor marches through Guimaraes. He is responsible for the infrastructure of Europe's Culture Capital 2012, and that automatically makes him lord over the countless construction sites that dot the community these days.

Braganca squeezes through construction fences, climbs over piles of sand, balances across makeshift entrances and overcomes all manner of barriers. He is seen sprinting through town every day, greeting people, waving hello, exchanging a few friendly words. Everyone knows Braganca.

Culture counters crisis

His daily tour takes the deputy mayor through a dusty, noisy setting where sturdy shoes are a must. Preparing for the role as European culture capital is a major collective effort. Construction workers are the heroes of the day, their yellow hard hats a temporary city landmark.

Even on Sundays, the town rings out with the sound of hammers and other tools as huge machines move mountains of earth. People crowd along the fences, watching the spectacle.

Squares, fountains and parks are under renovation in the historic old part of town - a UNESCO World Heritage site - and in the old industrial district. Primped, refurbished and embellished, they have to be ready in time for the opening ceremony on January 21.

Domingos Braganca is optimistic: "We can do it."

Play the drums

The city has a lot on its plate this year. Most of all, it wants to be different: 'Small is beautiful' is its motto. That has nothing to do with the slim budget, program director Carlos Martins told Deutsche Welle.

"It's easy to put on a few big shows, many do that," he said. "As culture capital, we want to create something lasting for the town and its people."

Guimaraes wants to be an attractive place for artists and other creative heads - but also a place where the residents have fun being active. "People shouldn't just hear drums, they should play them," Martins said. Guimaraes will be a stage for professional artists and laymen alike. Actors, painters and musicians plan to hold workshops, supported by the town's many cultural initiatives.

Young town

The townspeople hope for a boost to the local economy that has suffered in times of the global financial crisis. But despite difficult general conditions and few resources, Martins and the other organizers are confident that investing in culture and creativity will push growth. Their aim to economize, handle funds responsibly, and be a model for how smaller European cities could function in the post-industrial era.

It appears the role as European Culture Capital has already generated jobs in Guimaraes. Architecture firms and engineer bureaus have their hands full. Cultural initiatives, the "associaciones," are putting the finishing touches on their contributions to the program. A large new museum and studios for artists in residence are under construction on the old market square. The university stands to benefit, too: On the far side of the historic city center stands the shell of a fancy new Academy for Design.

Guimaraes is an old town that proudly looks back at more than 1,000 years of history - but it is also the youngest city in Portugal. Half of the roughly 50,000 residents are under the age of 30. It's a university town with about 6,000 students, which can often be found with their laptops in parks and cafes.

Vinho verde

The town center hasn't become a mere prop for day trippers; people live and work there, behind lovingly restored 18th-century facades. The beautiful squares are lively during the day, but also at night and the weekend.

On the downside, Guimaraes, once the center of Portugal's textile and leather industry, has a 15-percent unemployment rate. The town has lost thousands of jobs to globalization. Factory buildings stand empty as production has moved to Asia. Culture Capital organizers, however, believe the void could be an opportunity for the arts.

Cervejeria Marins is a small pub located right on a building site fence. Its owner, Demian Marins, is pleased that his place is crowded despite the noise and dust from the construction site next door. Time for a glass of Vinho Verde at the long bar, with colorful soccer scarves from clubs all over Europe hanging from the ceiling.

Deputy mayor Domingos Braganca, however, is pressed for time. With only a short time left to go before the official opening of the European Culture Capital 2012 in his town, he has a meeting at city hall.

Author: Cornelia Rabitz/ db
Editor: Kate Bowen