Description

Inteligência Local (iLocal) is an Association for the Regeneration, Development, and Governance of Local Economies. iLocal aims to create alternative ways of living in modern societies. They connect people seeking a more sustainable life to build collaborative communities and implement projects that contribute to local sustainable development and the regeneration of desertified territories.

Focusing on the towns of Vilares da Vilariça and Colmeais, part of the Alfândega da Fé Municipality, in the Portuguese district of Bragança district, iLocal is developing Portugal's 1st Smart Village. This project includes developing a Laboratory for Social Experimentation and an Ecosystem for innovation and interdisciplinary research, to attract 100 new inhabitants to Vilares da Vilariça by 2030 and serve as a model for revitalizing other places.

The funds raised in this campaign will co-finance the production of Circ'Bô Festival's first edition, which will take place between August 23 and 25, 2024, in Vilares da Vilariça. 

The Circ'Bô Festival is part of iLocal's macro-program. A cultural and environmental event presented as a meeting point between the local community and contemporary circus artists, through artistic residencies for young talents and creative programming in the landscapes of Trás-os-Montes. The funding will be used to support the Festival's production costs and the programming, which will then be offset by the box office.

The event will bring contemporary circus performances to the interior of Portugal, enabling local cultural enrichment. Circ'Bô will also create space to trade cultural goods and services, providing employment opportunities and promoting local production. The festival encourages sustainable practices and environmental awareness, integrating culture with preserving the ecosystem of the bio-region "Lagos do Sabor". Circ'Bô is co-produced by iLocal and INAC.   

The Impact

Direct

• Encouraging the national cultural industry: the Circ'Bô festival is co-produced by iLocal and INAC - Instituto Nacional de Artes do Circo. Dozens of people are involved in marketing, communication, and setting up structures. The festival aims to promote local cultural infrastructure, with 60% of the program featuring local and regional artists and agents. Boosting tourism, culture, and the region's products. 
• Promoting diversity and cultural heritage: The festival recognizes local and international artists, contributing to the appreciation of cultural diversity. The event is built in harmony with the region's resources, using the village and natural spaces as the stage for shows and activities, with special attention to accessibility.
• Promoting sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature: iLocal has a strong concern for the sustainability of the event, implementing a set of initiatives for correct waste management, including the installation of a community biodigester system fed by the festival's organic waste, the elimination of single-use plastics, water management, and the use of low-consumption lighting and solar panels that will remain on-site as part of a renewable energy community (REC) for the population.

Indirect

• Contribution to the resilience and empowerment of communities for their development: the Circ'Bô festival takes place in a "low-density" region, which are territories identified with lower population density in Portugal, the Lagos do Sabor bio-region which will be hosting an event of this type for the first time. 

Focusing on the well-being of the local community, the event has a strategy for the participation of local populations and the development of the region. The initiatives that make up the strategy are the financing of structures for the festival that will remain in use by the people, such as solar panels, the community biodigester, the dry toilets, and the spaces that will host the food court and handicrafts - adding up to an approximate value of €20,000 in investment in structures.

In addition, the food court will be made up of 80% regional traders, with products strictly of local origin, promoting the region's economy. Residents of Vilares de Vilariça and the surrounding villages will also be able to offer their products and take part in the "Bed and Breakfast" initiative, in which they rent out rooms or entire houses to host visitors.

The five communities impacted are Vilares de Vilariça, the municipality of Alfândega da Fé, Vila Flor, Macedo de Cavaleiros, and Mirandela, with approximately 10.000 people.x

Contribution to the Sustainable
Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

Financial viability

The Festival is co-produced by INAC, a partner with national and international experience in disseminating, creating, and hosting contemporary circus events.

The production expects to welcome 1500 people daily, with the box office being the main source of income. Ticketing services have already been contracted with several specialized platforms.

In addition to the box office, the event has the financial support of Turismo de Portugal, and the municipality. 

Download the Financial Statements document related to the promoter here: Financial Statements - iLocal.pdf

Download Key Investment Information Sheet

The Promoter

About Inteligência Local - Associação para a Regeneração, Desenvolvimento e Governança das Economias Locais

Inteligência Local (iLocal) is an association dedicated to challenging the modern lifestyle by promoting sustainable and participatory communities. 

They have started the ambitious project "Regenerating VdV - Smart Village 2030", to establish Vilares da Vilariça (VdV) as Portugal's first Smart Village. This project aims to turn VdV into a laboratory for social experimentation and to attract and settle 100 new residents in the village by 2030. The goal is to revitalize VdV and create a model for similar rural areas across the country.

Filipe Jeremias' initial dream of finding a greener place to live quickly evolved into a collective project with the support of André Costa and Pedro Antunes. Together, they recognized that many people share the goal of moving to a non-urban environment and living in closer contact with nature. The project is not limited to creating a community they want to become an integrated movement that promotes participatory, collaborative, and autonomous processes.

iLocal aims to empower the local community, improve its residents' quality of life and well-being, and inspire the repopulation of Portugal's inland territories.

The promoter recognizes that inland regions face significant challenges, such as population decline and aging communities, and believes that repopulating these areas is essential for the country's sustainable development. This movement hopes not only to preserve the cultural and historical heritage of rural regions but also to relieve pressure on urban areas, stimulate the local economy, and promote a more equitable distribution of resources and opportunities throughout the country.

The team

Filipe Jeremias

Co-Founder and CEO

Filipe studied architecture at Universidade Lusíada Porto. He trained in alternative models of education and completed a postgraduate course in project management for development cooperation. Filipe has been involved in various projects related to architecture, education, consultancy, tourism (co-founder of the Tourism 7.0 project), and sustainability (co-creator of the Ecozelo project - a sustainable community laboratory). He is currently the executive director of iLocal and continues to be involved in other projects in the areas mentioned.

Pedro Antunes

Co-Founder and Executive Board

Management Graduated, with a post-graduate degree in Tourism Management. He has held various positions, including Finance and Accounting Supervisor; Management Control; Logistics Director; and Head of Finance. He was co-founder and manager of Wamply Powered by Locals, which develops activities in the experiential tourism sector.

André Costa

Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board

André has a degree in Economics and an Art of Hosting Practitioner course from AoH Portugal. He has worked in different areas and companies, from Chief Operating Officer, to consultant. Since 2013 has been working for a company he founded: SingularDialogues, dedicated to consultancy services in innovation, and entrepreneurship, among others. André will help with the organization and management of the festival.

Bruno Cunha

Chairman of the Board of the General Meeting

Has a degree in Environmental Engineering and began working in this field in 2005. Bruno is the manager and coordinator of several national and international projects and contracts for environmental infrastructures and services in the field of waste management, circular economy and sustainability, environmental management, and environmental planning, among others. He is the founder and CEO of a successful consultancy company focused on environmental issues. He has managed and coordinated several projects. Bruno has been a member of iLocal since 2022, as Chairman of the General Assembly.

Cristiana Ribeiro

Vice-Chairman of the Board of the General Meeting - Head of Partnerships

With a background in law and over five years of experience in legal and business consulting, Cristiana connects her skills, emphasizing rigor, dedication, quality, and ethics, with a more creative and humane side. Communication stands out as her natural tool when working with people and their purposes, providing solutions that facilitate sustainable and responsible business growth.

Business Model

Partners

Turismo de Portugal

Instituto Nacional de Artes do Circo (INAC)

Município de Alfândega da Fé

Antena 1

Junta de Freguesia de Vilares de Vilariça

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