Government of the Azores supports philharmonics with close to 300 thousand euros

Segundo a secretaria regional da Educação, Cultura e Desporte (Regional Secretariat of Education, Culture and Sport), this year were allocated 299.976.08 euros in the regional support program for recreational and philharmonic societies of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, called SOREFIL.

Of this amount, 123,000 euros were granted for the purchase of musical instruments, 70 thousand euros for the acquisition of uniforms and 12.5 thousand euros for the acquisition of repertoire.

The Azorean executive also assigned nine thousand euros to support the conservation, maintenance and repair of musical instruments and 70 thousand euros for expenses with the fees of conductors.

The programme also included EUR 14,000 support for current costs of electricity supply for recreational and philharmonic companies that have their own headquarters and a regular cultural activity. 

Created in 2014, the SOREFIL program aims to “support the activity of the music bands of recreational and philharmonic societies of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, promoting not only its development, but also new initiatives that contribute to the personal realization and improvement of the cultural level of the communities where they integrate”.

According to the order granting the support for 2026, published in Official Journal, on Friday, SOREFIL covered, this year, 47 philharmonics of all islands, except the Corvo.

The amount allocated in 2026 is similar to that of the previous year, which exceeded EUR 294,000.

“ In 2025, the financial amount allocated to the allocation of support under SOREFIL was EUR 300,000. The overall value of the applications submitted amounted to EUR 828,652,39 thousand, and applications amounting to EUR 294,290,72 thousand were approved”, in November 2025, the Regional Government, in response to a request from the PS, in the Legislative Assembly of the Azores.