Short Description
Take part in shaping a living site-specific experiment. Across 22 acres of forest in northern Portugal, The Garden invites artists to create permanent works across interior design, land art, lighting, and visual crafts[wo]manship.
Duration: June to October, with flexible stay (arrival every Tuesday, departure Monday).
Focus areas: Interior/architectural design, landscape/intervention design, lighting concepts.
Cost: A mix of fully-funded and on-site-cost-covered participation tiers.
Eligibility
We welcome those with a visceral need to shape space — whether with wood, light, textiles, or narrative Open to architects, builders, visual artists, scenographers, craftspeople, experimental designers & photographers.
Your canvas & resources
Indoors: 2,000m² main building with panoramic 180-degree windows.
Outdoors: 93,000m² of forested estate & wild nature. Infrastructure: Wood & metal workshops, budget for materials, support from in-house craftspersons (electricians, carpenters, etc.)
Cultural opportunities: Monthly farm-to-table, aesthetic film screenings, excursions to historic flea markets, visit to the Serralves Foundation, ancient roman hot springs, waterfalls, and the ocean (just 20 minutes away).
Inclusivity: A commitment to financial transparency and diversity.
The philosophical map
Interior Design: An alchemy of simplicity and opulence, wood, clay, granite, luxurious fabrics, and a playful dance with light, chandeliers, candles, retro, vintage, luxurious elements, live edge wood, antique chests, etc.
Exterior Design: Japanese garden minimalism meets local materiality — moss, granite, live-edge wood, and organic interventions. Emphasis on harmony with nature.
Lighting: Edison/tungstene bulbs, lots of candles, creative & discrete use of LEDs, projection mapping.
Priority will be given to applicants proposing projects in the following areas: – Tea house construction – Pan’s Labyrinth-inspired arch- Tree net installations – Outdoor lighting installations – Internal mail system for handwritten notes & small gifts – Landscaping & waterscaping permanent installations – Moss-based creations or – Photography series or short film for a future photography exhibition in Porto, exploring themes of ephemerality, human connection, and grief.
Location & amenities
Proximity: 45 minutes by car from Porto airport, 20 minutes from Viana de Castelo.
Amenities: Starlit hot tub, cold springs, dance hall, sauna, chef-prepared meals [Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, from Monday to Friday] and a forest teeming with botanical wonders.
Submission Requirements
Brief Description of your art and its relevance to the Garden
Portfolio
Letter of Intent
Project proposal + budget
How to Apply
Online Application
Entry Fee
None
Location
Portugal
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 1 July 2025
Website Link: https://artistry.thegarden.pt/
