Such is Portugal: in the heart of the Alentejo countryside, near Montemor-o-Novo, stands a church. Seen from the outside it is unremarkable, a small chapel with nothing to distinguish it (perhaps that is where its charm rests, being discreet and simple, as plain as it is sound).

With nine programmes under its belt and 900 projects led since its creation, the Fondation d'entreprise Hermès shares knowledge, builds bridges, supports the arts and artists, protects the environment and encourages solidarity worldwide.

Richard Treger and António Saint Silvestre collect artworks that convey dream worlds and impossible realities. It’s called Art Brut (aka Outsider Art) and it brings together those artists who move on the fringes of society, transforming difficult existences into objects that transmit their most instinctive and primitive side. A remarkable journey into the human mind.

Towards the end of the 18th century, the Marquis of Pombal sent naturalists on philosophical expeditions to the New World, where they visited Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and Brazil. These studies were founded on the meticulous drawings of fauna, flora, people, and landscapes made during these trips, 1,200 of which make up a collection of illustrations currently housed at the Museu de História Natural (Natural History Museum)…

Looking back at us — In the summer of 1736, date unknown, the beneficiary Manuel Antunes, native of Barbacena, left home on his mule. On his way from Portas da Esquina to Horta dos Passarinhos, he came across a steep and stony slope, where his mule took fright for reasons unsure. Time and again, the cleric fell to the ground. Badly hurt and in great distress, he pleaded with the heavens, which came to his aid. In keeping with his promise, he had the crude cross in the fields of Torre das Arcas repaired.

What is knowledge? Where does it come from? How does it sprout and take shape in creativity, in human hands, in time, and flow into objects that whisper, all powerful? I had never seen this invisible thread of knowledge transmission at such close quarters until I found myself lost in conversation and total fascination at Manufactura das Tapeçarias de Portalegre (Portalegre Tapestries).

At ArtWorks, industry meets sculpture, while skilled artisans make artists’ remarkable ideas a reality. Since it started five years ago, ArtWorks has built up a surprising portfolio of artists, such as José Pedro Croft, Cabrita Reis, Fernanda Fragateiro, Grada Kilomba, Julião Sarmento and João Louro, not forgetting a new wave of up-and-coming figures, like Andreia Santana, Sara Bichão, Luisa Jacinto and Diogo da Cruz.

Pessoa, an Experimental Life is the result of 12 years spent trying to prove that Fernando Pessoa, Portugal’s most famous poet, had a life beyond his extensive oeuvre. Considered by many to be the finest and most comprehensive biography on the subject, Richard Zenith, a leading authority on all things Pessoan, reveals how the genius came to be, while highlighting the autobiographical aspects of his heteronymic experiment.

Where others see weeds, Alexandre Delmar and Maria Ruivo see edible and curative plants. And so Recoletora was born, a pilot-project that has produced a catalogue of wild plants that grow on wasteland. Alexandre Delmar’s a photographer and videographer, Maria Ruivo’s a graphic designer and creative director.

India and Africa may have defined Alexandra de Cadaval's career, but it’s Évora where she showcases the world’s arts and music. A love letter to diversity.

Although the title sounds like a contradiction in terms, for Viúva Lamego it makes perfect sense. At this century-old ceramics factory, there’s always time to talk to artists and achieve what’s best for their projects. Part factory, part studio, the secret of keeping young is a meticulous path of innovation.

One of the great advocates of the Portuguese Overseas Expansion, the second Viscount of Santarém was a pioneer in the study of ancient maps. This atlas is one of the most remarkable compilations of these instruments of navigation and wonder.

Five hundred years of Arab occupation left Portugal with a culinary legacy rich with coriander and citrus fruit, figs and almonds, stews and escabeches. To think that it’s been 13 centuries since Mediterranean cuisine first passed this way.

«I prefer to be connected to our roots, so not to lose the idea of what is ours». In 2015, Chef João Rodrigues felt he needed to better define the identity of the portuguese produce he used in his dishes.

THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE still has the lingering scent of wet paint. Located on Rua da Emenda, in Lisbon’s Chiado neighbourhood, this contemporary art gallery first opened its doors (and windows) in May this year, where visitors could see “In Memory We Trust”, a solo exhibition by the São Tomé and Príncipe artist, René Tavares.

Pedro Cabrita Reis asks to be called simply Cabrita, a name that derives from the purification process applied to his work. Watch the interview here.