Organizer Information
Associação Novas Descobertas is a non-profit organization founded to deliver transformative, nature-connected learning experiences that foster personal development, community ties, and active citizenship. The association operates from Campo do Vale, a dedicated educational campus integrated into Quinta Vale da Lama—a 43-hectare regenerative demonstration farm located 7km from Lagos in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. As an active member of the global Ecosystem Restoration Communities network, the farm actively implements permaculture, soil rehabilitation, and biodiversity restoration methodologies, sharing its ecological knowledge locally and internationally.
Title & Description
Regenerative Practices: Art, Ecology and Social Fiction
This intensive 30-day international residency brings together an interdisciplinary cohort of five Europe-based artists for a deep, shared inquiry into how creative practices can spark ecological, social, and imaginative change. Grounded in the landscape of the Alvor estuary, the program explores the intersections of art, environmental restoration, migration, and new social imaginaries. Rather than emphasizing static studio production, the methodology is process-oriented and place-based, blending structured collective morning sessions—such as walking, site-specific listening, and community exchanges—with open afternoons dedicated to independent writing, drawing, and prototyping. The cohort will work in close dialogue with the land and collaborate with guest mentor and storyteller Reza Mirabi to cultivate alternative ways of perceiving and relating to more-than-human narratives.
Categories
- This residency is open to Interdisciplinary Arts, Visual Arts, Performance, Installation, Moving Image, Sound Art, Literature, and Artistic Research.
- It welcomes artists across all disciplines who view creative work as inseparable from ecology and sociality,
Eligibility
- Geographic Scope: Artists currently residing in European countries eligible under the Culture Moves Europe framework.
- Practice Alignment: Creators explicitly interested in art’s potential as a regenerative practice, process-oriented collaboration, and eco-social transformation.
- Diversity Focus: The residency highly encourages applications from artists whose lived experiences are shaped by migration, censorship, or displacement.
- Availability: Applicants must commit to participating in the entire duration of the program, including travel days.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Travel Allowance: Funded via Culture Moves Europe as a fixed travel grant based on distance (€400 for distances under 5,000 km; €800 for distances 5,000 km or greater). Additional "green mobility" top-ups are available for participants traveling by train or bus.
- Mentorship: Comprehensive group support and personalized one-on-one sessions led by cross-disciplinary artist and choreographer Reza Mirabi alongside the Novas Descobertas team.
- Accommodations & Facilities: On-site individual camping tents at the Campo do Vale campus with access to indoor toilets, hot showers, communal indoor/outdoor dining, and workspace facilities (all basic camping gear is provided).
- Subsistence: Fully provided farm-to-table meals utilizing seasonal, organic ingredients grown directly on the regenerative farm (serving a mainly vegetarian Mediterranean diet that accommodates allergies).
Application Fee
There are no application fees or entry costs to submit a proposal for this residency.
Application Requirements
Interested artists must fill out the online registry, compiling information that demonstrates:
- Creative Intent: Expressed interest in ecological research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and place-based methodologies.
- Relevance of Practice: A brief overview of how the residency's focus on ecology, memory, or social fiction aligns with the applicant's current studio or research trajectory.
- Logistical Details: Current city of legal residence to calculate eventual Culture Moves Europe travel allowances.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted formally through the provided Google Forms link. Portfolios sent via unauthorized channels or past the deadline will not be evaluated.
- Application Link: Regenerative Practices Residency Application Form
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: July 20, 2026
- Selection Results Notification: July 30, 2026 (via email, followed by an online chat to align expectations)
- Arrival Date: September 30, 2026
- Residency Period: October 1 – October 30, 2026
- Departure Date: October 30, 2026
Location
The physical residency will be hosted entirely on-site in Portugal at: Associação Novas Descobertas, Odiáxere, Lagos, Portugal
Additional Details
This artistic research program is structurally supported by Culture Moves Europe, an initiative funded by the European Union and implemented directly by the Goethe-Institut. Because the travel stipend is paid out as a fixed financial allowance rather than a direct ticket reimbursement, selected artists are highly encouraged to map out their transit early and prioritize low-carbon methods of travel.