Lisbon has a thriving art scene. Concerts and theater performances are listed monthly in the Agenda Cultural and in Friday editions of the Diario de Noticias and Independente newspapers. The Lisbon opera house (Teatro Nacional Sao Carlos), Centro Cultrual de Belem, and Teatro D Maria host a wide variety of musical and theatrical performances. In 1983, the Modern Art Center opened on the grounds of the Gulbenkian Foundation. It is a showcase for predominate modern art trends, major works of modern art from around the world and a resource for emerging Portuguese artists.

Intricate hand-painted tiles are the most recognized form of Portuguese art. These hand-painted tiles dating back 500 years in Portugal and were once so plentiful and cheap that many buildings and homes were completely covered with them. Galleries are filled with tiles ranging from individual decorative trivets to intricate large scale murals. Even with the cost of shipping, prices and workmanship are better than anywhere else in the world.