AIR Buinho (Portugal) – New call for 2027

The Buinho Residency program is designed for individuals from diverse creative and research backgrounds. Located in the scenic Alentejo region of Southern Portugal, Buinho’s creative hub was established with the invaluable support of a curatorial team boasting over a decade of experience organizing and facilitating various residency initiatives across Portugal. Since its inception in 2016, Buinho has experienced remarkable growth in the number of applications it receives, solidifying its reputation as a highly sought-after artistic residency program. Today, Buinho stands as a prominent European beacon in the realm of artistic residencies due to its unique affiliation with the Fablab, which amplifies creative experimentation opportunities. Our journey commenced with a single house accommodating two residents and the Fablab. However, we have since expanded significantly, now boasting six distinct houses and spaces, offering both shared and private studios, a state-of-the-art digital fabrication workshop, as well as dedicated exhibition spaces. In collaboration with the local municipality, we are proud to offer access to a metalworking workshop exclusively dedicated to sculpture and plastic recycling. Besides both the Fablab and the Precious Plastic recycling space, we also highlight the newly added textile lab, equipped with sewing machines, digital embroidery, tufting equipment, and other textile dedicated equipment that serves not only a local sewing club, but also for textile experimentation. Throughout our history, we have been privileged to host a diverse array of artists, including visual artists, performance artists, photographers, curators, writers, sculptors, designers, and media artists, underscoring the eclectic and inclusive nature of our program. Buinho stands as an early pioneer among rural FabLabs in Portugal, offering artists a boundless realm for their creative exploration. Nestled in one of the sunniest corners of Europe, we empower our residents to delve into an array of cutting-edge technologies, including 3D Printing, Lasercut, CNC, and more. For additional details, please visit us at https://buinho.pt/residency-2/ To know more about Messejana and its surroundings please access the following video we prepared by clicking on the link: Messejana – https://vimeo.com/443880245 Duration of residency The minimum period of stay is 2 weeks, and the maximum is 2 months. We accept artists who apply just for two weeks since some may have work restrictions (for example professors), and we don’t want to create entry barriers to those with professional duties. Nevertheless, we encourage artists to apply to a superior period to improve the quality of the residency (research, production, experience). As a reference, we usually receive per year around 60 artists, with an average period of stay of 1 month and a half. Accommodation Buinho currently oversees six distinct houses, each designed with unique purposes and features in mind. Among these, three houses are exclusively designated for the Creative Residency program, providing a selection of single and double bedrooms, both shared and private studios, as well as communal living amenities. The remaining houses grant all residents access to well-equipped working laboratories, facilitating the advancement of their respective projects. Casa da Avó is located at the heart of Messejana, offering two spacious studios that overlook the main town square, along with two private bedrooms discreetly positioned at the rear of the house to ensure optimal privacy. In addition to its charming courtyard and terrace, the standout feature of this house is its compact yet well-appointed jewellery laboratory, complete with a cozy fireplace to keep you warm during the winter months; Casa de São João is an XIX-century shepherd’s house, remodelled in 2019 to offer a unique charm. It is located in the street of the museum, on top of a hill, offering from its garden a unique view over Messejana. Its studios with high white walls and quiet environment offer the perfect setting for visual artists and writers; Casa da Padaria, the last house to be added to our creative ecosystem, used to be a traditional Bakery. It features a cozy living room connected to the kitchen, along with a small patio perfect for enjoying a morning coffee. Offering more privacy, it’s well-suited for visual artists, writers, or researchers; The Buinho main hub and HQ embraces a modern, open-space design, featuring a central studio in the main building and a workshop located in the backyard. In 2015, this entire interior space underwent a comprehensive redesign and reconstruction, marking it as the inaugural house within this project and granting it the privilege of its distinctive name. Serving as Buinho’s primary headquarters, this house is home to the Fablab and Precious Plastic facilities; Buinho Educativo is an extension of Buinho’s main fablab, with a specific focus on our educational and social initiatives. Within its confines, you’ll find two spacious rooms, one equipped with a comprehensive array of digital fabrication tools, including laser cutters, 3D printers, and vinyl cutters. The other is a textile lab, equipped with sewing machines, digital embroidery, tufting equipment, and other textile dedicated equipment that serves not only a local sewing club, but also for textile experimentation. Its distinctive capabilities are also accessible for residents use, positioning itself as the central hub for workshops and social engagement; Finally we also share a Metal workshop space with the local parish of Messejana. This is our favorite “get dirty” space, and that is used by us mainly for more metal working and heavy duty CNC machining. This space is also available for our residents that require more space, or access to our larger CNC machine, or to do some welding and metal work. All houses are fully equipped and have access to a high-speed internet connection (Starlink). Besides th