Buinho Residency Program (Portugal)
The Buinho Residency program is directed at creatives and researchers from different backgrounds.
Buinho creative hub opened in Alentejo (Southern region of Portugal) with the support of a curatorial team with over ten years of experience in the organization support of other residency programs in Portugal.
Since 2016, Buinho has been successfully growing the number of applications making it a sought-after artistic residency program. Today Buinho is a European reference for being among the only artistic residencies based on a Fablab that enhances creative experimentation.
We started with only one house which accommodated two residents and the fablab, but today we have three houses, shared and individual studios, the digital fabrication workshop, and exhibition spaces. And finally, together with the local municipality, we now also offer access to a metalworking workshop dedicated to sculpture and plastic recycling.
We have since then received visual artists, performance artists, photographers, curators, writers, sculptors, designers, media artists, confirming the eclectic nature of our program.
Buinho is one of the very first rural FabLabs in Portugal, that provides artists with endless possibilities for experimentation. We enable our residents to work and engage with 3D Printing, Lasercut, CNC, and more in one of the most sunniest part of Europe. For more information visit https://buinho.pt/residency-2/
Rua Nova de Sao Bras, 43
7600-346 Messejana
Portugal
Residency Program Information
Residency Program Summary
Application Information
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 multidisciplinarity, so we expect the acceptance of creatives from different backgrounds, media, and experiences. We also try to support emerging artists that seek opportunities for international visibility and curriculum. The level of scrutiny of the portfolio's quality is proportionate to the artist's experience. Although Buinho AIR residency program is self-funded in order to cover the operational expenses, we can offer special conditions to struggling artists, depending on the availability of spaces and relevance of the proposed project.
Fees 2023
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. Joaquina's studio-house - 1000€;
4. Casa da Avo - 900€.
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 either on the 1st or on the 15th of each month.
Please note that after the acceptance in Buinho AIR program, we will ask for an initial deposit of 50% of the total value of the stay. The remaining 50% is to be paid during the first week of residency. For payment of the deposit, the resident can choose either bank transfer or PayPal payment. Buinho will issue a receipt or send a formal acceptance letter if needed.
Cancellation requests with a full reimbursement of the deposit should be made by writing within 5 months before the start of the period of stay. All other cancellations will not result in the refund. Deposits are non-refundable and residency dates are non-transferable.
Accessibility
Most of the activities and working spaces do not pose restrictions to mobility.
Joaquina's house is not wheelchair or mobility accessible since it possesses staircases.
Housing & Accomodation
Studio & Facilities
Buinho FabLab is divided into two main spaces:
- The workshop, which is equipped with CNC mills, two laser cutters, a resin 3D printer,vand various tools and machines for woodwork and prototyping.
- The studio which has several 3D Printers, vinyl cutter, sewing machines, several electronics and robotics equipment, controllers, 3D scanner, sensors, and other components to be used in creative
projects. The studio also offers several PC workstations, complemented by two iMacs with adequate software for graphic and product design.
The digital fabrication capabilities offered by the Fablab are complemented by an ecosystem of other technologies and devices that enable a creative and explorative immersion within the digital realms.
We also possess diverse educational equipment which is used primarily to support the educational mission of Buinho. It is also available for those residents that want to experiment with physical computing, interactive environments, sound, among others. It includes:
MicroControllers and electronic prototyping platforms- Arduinos, Raspberry Pi's, Microbits, LilyPad, MakeyMakey Robotic Kits - Mbot, Little Bits, Cubetto, Arduino based rovers (NiCo's) Electronic Bench - Variable power supply, oscilloscope, multimeter, soldering stations, calipers, precision tools, etc.
Electronic Components - Arduino sensors kits, conductors, resistors, capacitors, breadboards, jumpers, perfboards, DC motors, stepper motors, servo motors, etc
Other relevant equipment - Kinnect, Virtual Reality Head Mount, Leap Motion, Sewing Machine.
Precious Plastic (www.preciousplastic.com) is a global community composed by individuals and groups that are working towards a solution to plastic pollution. Knowledge, tools, and techniques are shared online, for free.
Our workspace is connected and spread through Messejana. The plastic waste is separated and deposited by the local's in specific points created by us, and then brought to the Plastic Recycling Center. There, a group of Buinho volunteers transform the plastic waste in raw material and use it to produce products that are given back to the local community.
The Buinho Precious Plastic is also a part of the makerspaces network, It is located in the local municipality workstation enabling users to work in metal and machine-building using specific
equipment and workspaces.
Besides all the technological and digital apparatus, Buinho also possesses art studios in all houses where AiR can find the space and light to further develop their projects. We also provide heavy duty easels to those that require larger dimension canvas, and some material for painting from past residencies.