EVENTS
GALLERY
GUILHERME GONÇALVES
A space for local art, queer voices, and fearless expression.
Located inside Werkroom, the Guilherme Gonçalves Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the work of local artists, with an emphasis on uplifting creators from the LGBTQ+ community. Our mission is to celebrate diverse identities, spark dialogue, and create space for stories that deserve to be seen and heard.
The gallery is named in memory of Guilherme Gonçalves (1982–2022) and is a tribute to this beloved artist from Faro whose vibrant, unapologetic work made a profound impact on the local creative scene. Guilherme was a bold voice for queer visibility in the arts, and his legacy continues to inspire every exhibition we host.
Exhibition by Lia Lapa
"Long Exposure"
✨ Exhibition on display until October ✨
Born in 2007, Lia Lapa is an emerging artist from the Algarve. Painting has always been part of her life, and it was at the age of 14 that she produced her first oil painting, which is featured in this exhibition. Since then, this has been her preferred medium of expression.
Through textures, transparencies and the human form, her work offers a perspective on global crises and anxieties, as seen through the moments of solitude experienced by the minds that feel them. In this way, her depiction of the human form captures the impact of a world in crisis within the emotional universe of the subject.
In a constant quest for reinvention and learning, the artist also uses photography, sculpture and textile art to create her visual identity.
The title of this exhibition derives from a photographic technique involving the prolonged exposure of a lens to light, creating blurred forms in which impermanence is the subject of the action. Just as a long-exposure photograph uses transparencies to depict action and time, this retrospective exhibition spanning the last four years uses the artworks to depict an evolutionary process.
About Work Room
The Werk Room is an inclusive, safe, and welcoming space where everyone, and in
particular the LGBTQIA+ community, can express themselves freely, share experiences, and strengthen bonds.
This project is run by a collective of volunteers from diverse backgrounds, with the goal of promoting physical and mental well-being, social education, and creativity in the local community through events, workshops, and discussions on topics such as health, healthy lifestyles, film, literature, music, artistic creation, and sustainable practices—paths we consider essential for building community, strengthening resilience, and fostering social transformation.
Together, we will build a strong and united community.
Mission
We want to work collaboratively with existing groups and the community at large to identify and publicize available initiatives and support, as well as actively contribute to finding solutions and implementing actions that respond to the community's real needs.
Our mission is to build, together, a space where it is possible to exist with pride, create with freedom, and care with affection.
Merit Award
The Annemarie Madison Award was created by Werk Room to honor the legacy of Annemarie Madison and the values of solidarity, courage, and commitment to the community that marked her life. This award recognizes individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community in the Algarve who, through their dedication, leadership, activism, creativity, or service to the community, have made a significant contribution to promoting inclusion, strengthening the community, and improving the lives of others.
SUPPORT
Our Collective develops partnerships to meet the needs of our community and thus connect you with the various services available to support you.
MENTAL HEALTH AND GENDER IDENTITY
STI SCREENING AND SEXUAL HEALTH COUNSELING
CULTURAL PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNERS
COMMUNITY LIBRARY
Bring a book, take another, and join us in this network of sharing, friendship, and knowledge.
This Community Library was born to create an open space where books circulate freely and stories gain new life in the hands of those who read them.
We believe that literature is a powerful bridge between people, a way to share knowledge, cultures, experiences, and dreams. By exchanging a book, we also exchange perspectives on the world, foster critical thinking, and pave the way for dialogue and empathy.
This is a space for curious readers, storytellers, children exploring new things, or adults seeking inspiration. Because sharing stories is more than just donating books; it's about building community, fueling collective imagination, and strengthening the bonds that unite us.
Come be a part of this initiative. Bring a book, take another... and let yourself be carried away by the infinite possibilities that arise from each shared page.
We've created a space for sharing books in the Werk Room, which will be available at each event.
See you soon 📚🤍
Do you have an idea?
A project you want to create?
At Werk Room, we believe community is built together — through sharing, creativity, and the desire to make things happen.
We want to open space for new voices, new proposals, and new ways of coming together. If you have an idea, a project, or an activity you’d like to develop — whether it’s a workshop, a gathering, a talk, a performance, or something that doesn’t yet have a name — this invitation is for you.
We are looking for people who want to contribute to an inclusive, safe, and welcoming space, where the LGBTQIA+ community and allies can freely express themselves, learn, create, and grow together.
You don’t need to have everything figured out. Sometimes all it takes is a desire, a seed, a starting point — we’ll help you build the rest.
What can you propose?
Workshops, talks, sharing circles, wellbeing practices, cinema, literature, music, artistic creation, sustainability, or any idea that fosters connection, care, and expression.
What do we offer?
A supportive, collaborative, and attentive environment where your project can take shape and make an impact.
If this resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you.
👉 Send us your proposal and become part of this collective journey.
Together, we create more than events — we create community.
BLOG
This is a space for reflection and relevant information in the areas of health, education, and the arts. We partner with various organizations and professionals from different fields to share their perspectives on a wide range of topics.
