The Aldeias do Xisto and the AICEP- Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade, will be at the epicentre of one of the biggest European events linked to design: the London Design Festival. Portugal will be represented at the Tent London, in a partnership between Aldeias do Xisto and AICEP, and also at the Bienal of Design London, with the "UN/BIASED" project led by the Directorate-General for the Arts

There are 25 companies represented at Portugal's stand at Tent London, from 22 to 25 September in the British capital. Under the motto "Inspiring Portugal", our country is presented in a collective space that promotes the diversity and excellence of Portuguese product design to a knowledgeable, demanding and sophisticated target audience.

In addition to promoting the image of Portugal and generating business with European importers in the area of decoration and furniture, the Aldeias do Xisto and AICEP are committed to the international recognition of the country as a creative destination, innovative and with reception conditions for experimental projects. In June this year, ADXTUR and AICEP formalised in a protocol a partnership for the internationalisation of the Portugal brand through the improvement of the perception of the value attributed to its territorial brands, particularly those of the interior of the country. It is, in fact, in this sense that among the products exhibited at Portugal's stand will be objects created within the “Craft+Design+Identity” trilogy that the Aldeias do Xisto have developed over the last four years, and which have involved national creators, designers and universities.

Pieces included at Tent London.

• “Revolta dos Legumes” by Casa da Olaria (Agricultura Lusitana)
• “Almotolia, Regador, Taças” by Casa Luzarte (Agricultura Lusitana)
• “Taça Couve” by InVidro and Feltrosofia (L4Craft)
• “Gota Segredo” by Casa da Olaria (Água Musa)
• “Taça Gotas” by InVidro (Água Musa)

Improving Portugal's image using its rural identity

Pursuing its mission to improve the appeal of its countryside, ADXTUR - Schist Villages Tourism Development Agency sees this partnership with AICEP as a way toenhance Portugal's image through the promotion of goods and services produced in the interior of the country and the confirmation of its eminently rural identity, sectors in which the Aldeias do Xisto brand is already a national reference.

ADXTUR has developed new attractions for people, knowledge, and investments, which the brand and its partners seek to capitalise on through tourism development and in related areas such as urban regeneration, gastronomy, forest management, and environmental and cultural safeguarding, among others. Basically, as stated by Paulo Fernandes, head of ADXTUR, it is to “investigate and implement new ways of captivating the interest of foreigners through projects in technical, scientific, cultural, and artistic areas", thus continuing to develop essential building blocks for path of social and economic transformation proposed by Aldeias do Xisto .

A path in which the most important thing is the steps taken in terms of innovation and opening up to the outside world through the internationalisation of ADXTUR's private associates, exploring new ideas, paths, and marketing networks.

Tent London

Tent London is one of the events that form part of the programme of the London Design Festival, one of the most renowned in the British capital, attracting the greatest designers of the city and Europe every year, acting as a "sounding board" for new trends and the originator of others. Several countries are committing to a collective representation, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Ireland. These countries mark their presence in Tent London through companies that show their decoration and furniture products, as well as with renowned designers.