Organizer Information
PADA Studios is an independent, non-profit, artist-run organization founded in 2018. It is located on Lisbon's South Bank in a historic industrial park with roots dating back to 1885. PADA provides a collaborative platform designed to give creators time, space, and curatorial support within a unique post-industrial environment.
Title & Description
PADA Research Residency 2027.
This specialized track is tailored for curators, writers, art historians, theorists, and desk-based or text-focused practitioners who want to immerse themselves in PADA's creative ecosystem without requiring a traditional messy production studio. Operating alongside the flagship International Residency cohort, this program injects transdisciplinary diversity into the community, functioning as a living archive and research lab. Residents are encouraged to reflect, investigate, and draw inspiration from the heavy industrial architecture, local manufacturing industries, and regional cultural contexts.
Supplementary & Curatorial Support
The residency is primarily self-led, but PADA provides a structured framework to integrate participants into the local Portuguese art landscape:
- Contextual Immersions: Guided tours of the historical industrial park and access to the factory archives at the local Industrial Museum (CUF archives).
- Art Scene Navigation: Curated explorations, network check-ins, and tours covering the broader Lisbon gallery and museum network.
- Critical Dialogue: Portfolio presentations, individual curatorial visits, and meetings with guest curators to foster long-term professional networks.
- Note: Research residents are fully integrated into all social, educational, and networking facets of the community, but do not participate in studio critiques or the final group gallery exhibition.
Categories
Art History / Research, Writing, Curatorial Practice (Desk-based or theoretical focus).
Eligibility
- Global Scope: Open to international researchers, curators, writers, and thinkers at any stage of their career.
- Language: As an international hub, all applicants must be fully comfortable communicating in English, and all dossiers must be submitted in English.
- Ethos Alignment: Candidates must show a willingness to engage in communal living and demonstrate an interest in developing more environmentally sustainable creative practices.
Program Benefits and Awards
- Accommodations: Private double bedroom in shared resident housing.
- Workspace: Dedicated workspace and personal desk space at PADA facilities.
- Community Immersion: Fully integrated access to a rolling multi-disciplinary network of up to 13 international residents at a time.
Fees & Living Costs
- 1-Month Stay: €650.
- 2-Month Stay: €1,200.
- PADA operates as a non-profit association with limited public funding. Selected residents are highly encouraged to apply for external mobility grants or cultural funding to cover these institutional fees and personal travel.
- Application Fee: None (Free to enter the open call).
Application Requirements (Must be Submitted in English)
Dossiers must be compiled into a single PDF (Max 10 pages, 10MB) and submitted through the application engine, including:
- Personal Details & Preferred Blocks: Selecting from the designated 1- or 2-month 2027 calendar periods.
- Cover Letter & Statement: Outlining your background, motivation, and expectations of the environment (Max 300 words).
- Research Proposal: Detailing the specific investigative project, archival query, or text you intend to develop at PADA.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) & Portfolio: Documenting relevant past publications, exhibitions, or text pieces.
- Environmental Impact Statement: A few sentences detailing how your project or workspace habits will minimize environmental impact and foster sustainability.
- Public Event Pitch (Optional): A brief proposal (Max 200 words) for an open lecture, reading group, or informal presentation during your stay.
How to Apply?
Complete the digital questionnaire and upload your combined PDF package on the official PADA application node. Apply to the PADA Research Residency.
Key Dates
- Applications Open: May 19, 2026.
- Application Deadline: June 15, 2026.
- Selection Notifications: June 24, 2026.
2027 Available Residency Terms (Priority given to full 2-month integrations):
- Block 1 (1 Month): January 5 – February 1 (Coinciding with PADA 61).
- Block 2 (2 Months): February 4 – March 31 (Coinciding with PADA 62).
- Block 2a (1 Month): February 4 – March 2 (First half of PADA 62).
- Block 2b (1 Month): March 4 – March 31 (Second half of PADA 62).
- Block 3 (2 Months): June 3 – July 28 (Coinciding with PADA 64).
- Block 3a (1 Month): June 3 – June 29 (First half of PADA 64).
- Block 3b (1 Month): July 1 – July 28 (Second half of PADA 64).
- Block 4 (1 Month): September 2 – September 29 (Coinciding with PADA 65).
- Block 5 (2 Months): October 14 – December 8 (Coinciding with PADA 66).
- Block 5a (1 Month): October 14 – November 9 (First half of PADA 66).
- Block 5b (1 Month): November 11 – December 8 (Second half of PADA 66).
Location
Portugal, Barreiro (Lisbon South Bank metropolitan zone).
Additional Details
PADA operates as a non-profit, artist-run association. Because the Research Residency is specifically designed as a text, theory, and desk-based track, participants do not take part in formal studio critiques or the physical International Residency group gallery exhibition. However, they receive full administrative support to host independent public events, reading circles, or lectures during their stay. Residents must strictly adhere to PADA's environmental sustainability guidelines and are expected to actively minimize their carbon footprint throughout the residency.