It is high time that the dressing and decoration of shopping windows received recognition as legitimate art genre. And if there is anything that comes close to this, it would be the annual Christmas Storefront Contest held in Porto. The municipal website of the Portuguese city announced that the jury has received a total of 145 applications, 7 of which were later withdrawn or cancelled. The evaluation period itself will last until 17 December when a winner will be announced.
Porto Municipality has some other Christmas surprises in store
Like any contest, criteria had been set against which the different shopping windows presentations will be evaluated. These are grouped into four categories: originality and creativity; integration of the shop’s products into the presentation; colours, materials and lighting; and overall aesthetics.
What about the winners? There are prizes for the top three storefronts of 2250, 1750 and 1250 euros respectively for the first, second and third spot. Competitors which are ranked between the 4th and 10th place will also get an honourable mention.
There is one more important award, which although does not carry financial incentive, has a much stronger symbolic load. It carries the title of ‘Most Environmentally Friendly Window’ and it will be given to those merchants who had shown the greatest and most visible concern to using sustainable materials and creating a message about the importance of environmental protection to the public.
Porto’s store owners can also look forward to receiving 162 500 vouchers from the city administration, which they can use to grant discounts to their customers, and thus stimulate and energize the shopping activity this season.
They will likewise be able to hand out tickets, which can be used by drivers to waive off parking lot fees for 120 minutes at the municipal parking lots of Trindade, Silo Auto, Duque de Loulé and Alfândega.
Source: TheMayor.EU
