When young inmates leave prison and return to society, it can be hard to reintegrate. That's why the Musical Artistic Society of Pousos, Portugal (SAMP), has designed a project that encourages prisoners to re-engage with society through an ambitious cultural experience: putting on an opera! 

With support from the European Social Fund - and innovative co-financing from social impact bonds - the Mozart Pavilion project gave 40 young inmates the opportunity to perform Mozart’s “Così fan tutte”.  The opera was staged at Lisbon’s Grand Auditorium of Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, in front of an audience of young inmates, their families and prison staff. 

SAMP hopes that participation in cultural experiences like this will reduce social isolation, providing work and focus for those serving their sentences.   

“It makes me feel like I'm not locked up, that I'm free and that there aren't bars in front of me.”, shares one of the project participants Mathieu Pinto.  

By assisting in the production, participants are also allowed the chance to gain practical skills and experience that can be integral assets as they return to wider society. 

“I had never seen an opera and now I'm a fan”, continues Mathieu Pinto. “Since it is group work, it taught me how to work with others. It gave me a sense of responsibility. I learnt how to breathe and some voice techniques. Even my parents were surprised when they heard me sing”.   

The long-term goal for the project was to create a permanent Performing Arts Centre (PAC) Pavilhão Mozart at the facility, a goal it realised in 2021. The opening of the centre allows for regular artistic work with a focus on musical theatre and opera.   

By developing a space for culture at Leiria Prison, SAMP hopes to close the gap between prison and community life, making reintegration easier. It will offer the chance for young people to learn a range of new social and practical skills, making it easier to find work while reducing the likelihood of re-offending upon release.