Matilde Horta e Costa (board member of the Vasco Vieira de Almeida Foundation and VdA Corporate Affairs Director) took part in the conference 'Art & Patronage: New Models for Culture in Europe', held on 23 February at MACAM – Armando Martins Museum of Contemporary Art. The event brought together leading cultural institutions, foundations and key stakeholders from across the cultural sector.

The conference aimed to explore the role of patronage in promoting contemporary art and to discuss future strategies for cultural funding in Portugal and across Europe.

Matilde Horta e Costa participated in Panel 3 – 'Prospects: Good Practices and Innovative Strategies', dedicated to analysing international models and identifying innovative solutions to support the sustainability of the cultural sector. The panel brought together perspectives from both the cultural and business ecosystems, fostering a particularly rich debate on new approaches to patronage and cultural investment.

The conference also highlighted the importance of recognising culture not as a peripheral sector, but as a genuine driver of economic development, social cohesion and value creation. The need for a structured reform of the patronage framework was also emphasised, with the aim of strengthening the attractiveness of private investment while promoting greater transparency and efficiency.

The participation of the VdA/Vasco Vieira de Almeida Foundation in this initiative reflects its ongoing commitment to promoting culture and supporting the development of innovative patronage models, in line with its role as an active contributor to a more informed, inclusive and sustainable society.