Our story, in English to reach as many people as possible.

Over the past month — first in November and then last Friday — we were raided by the police and forced to shut down, leaving us in a very difficult situation, broke and with significant debts.

Outra Cena is an artist-led, DIY club that has been operating since September 2023, driven by a desire to hold space for bold and leftfield club music, and for marginalized cultures and communities.

Our aim is to sustain a space that resists commodification at a time when clubbing is often stripped of its political meaning, and to invite reflection on how we connect: with each other, with our city, and with the music itself. It’s a paradox — stepping away from the default world, yet remaining in dialogue with it through sound and community.

Above all, we want people to feel both sheltered and free, to experience joy alongside resistance. We humbly try to do our part, to keep learning, and to persist within this fragile framework.

We rent a space in a huge, century-old former wine warehouse that is eventually meant to be transformed into a real-estate project by the landlord. We were given guarantees that we could operate a club there, and were told that several meetings had already taken place with the local authorities, who supported the project. The wider compound is meant to include shops, restaurants, a museum, and other cultural venues.

We are fully sound-proofed, have done thorough noise testing that got approved by the authorities, and are absolutely certain that our space causes no disturbance (there are no residents within a large radius). We have carried out extensive works to meet the legal requirements to operate a club in Portugal. Until November 2025, we had been open for over two years without causing any issues to anyone.

However, for some reasons we don’t know, the landlord hasn’t been able to obtain the licensing that we need — something we have absolutely no control over — which caused the authorities to remove the official seal from our sound limiter. This seal is a mandatory condition to be allowed to play amplified music after 23:00. The police raids started shortly after this, and during the last one, some of our equipment was seized, with a threat to take everything next time.

Until this administrative situation is resolved, our only realistic way to operate without risk is during the daytime, which will very likely have a major impact on attendance and income.

In addition to this, here is a breakdown of the costs we are facing for the four nights we were forced to cancel:

Staff costs: €10,088

Back-office costs: €1,544

Fixed costs (utilities, licences): €920

Rent: €3,288

Seized equipment and estimated fines: €3,000

Artistic costs: €5,300

Total: €24,140

We know this is a huge sum. This fundraiser is just one of several ways we are trying to reach it, which is why we are starting with a low initial objective that we will update if we reach it. We will keep organizing events to get back on our feet, and the main support will always be through your presence in our space. But if you have anything to spare to help us through this moment, it would mean the world to us.

We believe in reciprocity, which is why anyone contributing will be welcomed with open arms the next time you visit us. Drop us a message with your name and email after you have donated, and we'll be in touch ❤️

We care deeply about transparency and will publish a report detailing the use of the funds.

Thank you so much for your messages, your support, and your strength. We’ll keep fighting.