Short Description:
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/
Application Requirements:
Artists interested in participating should send by email (info@buinho.pt) a short curriculum, motivation letter, and description of the project. Equally important is to mention the proposed dates for the residency (start and length).
Applications are evaluated by an advisory committee and take into consideration the following parameters:
a) artistic quality;
b) relevance of the project;
c) motivation of the candidate.
Our AIR program values multidisciplinary, so we expect the acceptance of creatives from different backgrounds, media, and experiences. We also try to support emerging artists who seek opportunities for international visibility and curriculum. The level of scrutiny of the portfolio’s quality is proportionate to the artist’s experience.
Eligibility:
Open to artists based anywhere in the world
Program Benefits or Awards:
Accessible Housing
Partially Accessible (50% or more)
Meals Provided
Residents have access to shared kitchen
Residents have access to private kitchen
Studios/Special Equipment
Private Studios
Shared Studios
Dedicated Studio/Shop Technicians – Part Time
Exhibition / Installation Space
Performance/Presentation Facilities
Piano
Dedicated Metal Shop
Heavy Metals / Blacksmithing
Fine Metals / Jewelry Making
Jeweler’s Bench
Anvils, Stakes + Hammers
Soldering Workspace
Acetylene/Air Torches
Soldering Picks+Tweezers
Finishing Room
Bench Grinder
Lighting Studio/Green Screen
Large Format Printer / Plotter
Printers + Scanner
Photo + Video Editing Suite
Music/Media Studio Non-recording
Painting Workspace (Oil)
Easels
Drawing Benches
Book Arts Facilities
Light Tables
Textiles Workspace
Woodworking Tools
Tablesaw
Bandsaw
Router Table
Wood Bending Equipment
Wood Vises And Wood Working Table
Studios/Facilities Accessibility
Partially Accessible (50% or more)
Type of Housing
Private housing on campus (individual apartment/cabin/house)
Private bedroom in a shared housing facility on campus
Entry Fee:
900 Euro (EUR)
Fee Details
Fees 2026
We do not have public or private funding for the residencies, and aside from the normal house bills and work consumables, we have a full-time person just for production support of the residencies. As such, we have to apply fees, but we do keep the fees to a minimum since we are a not-for-profit association based in a rural area.
We try to differentiate the value of the residency fees according to the characteristics of the accommodation since each house offers bedrooms and spaces with different dimensions and privacy.
Monthly fees are the following:
1. São João larger bedroom with private bathroom – 900€;
2. São João other two bedrooms – 800€;
3. Padaria’s house – 900€;
4. Casa da Avo – 900€.
An accompanying person has a 50% discount but must share the accommodation. It is an additional measure to support couples, artists with children, or possible artistic collaborations.
The minimum duration of each residency is two weeks and the maximum is two months. Residencies should start on the 1st or 15th of each month.
Location: Portugal
Deadline: September 12, 2025
Website link:
