Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée at Instituto Francês

The Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée is Belgium's celebrated institution dedicated to the art of comics, based in Brussels. The Belgian Comic Strip Center has actively worked to strengthen ties between Belgium and Portugal, and has organized exhibitions in Portugal to showcase its collections and celebrate the art form. The center maintains contact with the Bedeteca da Amadora (Amadora Cartoon Library) to facilitate public access to its archives. When its exhibitions travel to Lisbon, the natural host has been the Institut Français du Portugal — the French Institute in Lisbon — given the deep Franco-Belgian roots of the BD tradition. The Institut Français du Portugal, mediatheque holds a collection composed primarily of Franco-Belgian comics. It regularly hosts reader groups and events around the genre, welcoming enthusiasts of classic, adventure, and independent BD to share their passion for illustrated literature. Together, these two cultural institutions have served as a bridge between the rich Franco-Belgian comics tradition — home to iconic characters like Tintin, the Smurfs, and Lucky Luke — and Portuguese audiences who have long shared a deep affection for the art form.