In accordance with a protocol with the Leiria City Council, the municipality announced that the Serralves Foundation will annually bring a contemporary art exhibition to Leiria. In light of the 2025 launch of the Villa Portela Arts Centre, a project devoted to contemporary art, the local government claims that the deal with the Serralves Foundation is "a strategic opportunity to expand and diversify Leiria's cultural offering”.

The Foundation's expertise will also be useful in training cultural agents in contemporary art and providing technical consulting for the municipality's artistic programming, as well as in the "revitalisation of the park surrounding Villa Portela" in the heart of Leiria through "a program of cultural, environmental, and educational activities”.

"The partnership between the Serralves Foundation and the municipality of Leiria signifies a dedication to culture and the future of contemporary art in Leiria," said Anabela Graça, the city's councillor for culture. With the help of the Serralves Foundation's reputation and expertise, the opening of the Villa Portela Arts Centre will solidify Leiria as a cultural reference point, according to the person in charge.

As the councillor further stated, “This partnership will be decisive in increasing the capacity to hold cultural events, promoting the appreciation and projection of the Villa Portela Arts Center on a national and international level”.