OBRAS is an international artist residency offering artists and researchers time, space, and solitude. Located near the village of Évoramonte in Portugal’s Alentejo region, the residency exists to support sustained, self-directed work
OBRAS—a Portuguese word meaning work in progress—refers to the active state of making: work that is underway, evolving, unresolved. The residency is built around that condition, offering artists the space and time to focus on their work without prescribed outcomes or imposed programs. Each resident determines the direction and pace of their stay.
The focus here is not on finishing something or producing a result, but on giving your work the attention it needs to develop. A residency could lead to a completed work. Or to a shift in direction, a series of experiments, or a clearer understanding of what your practice.
Residents live and work alongside a small international group while maintaining the independence necessary for concentrated practice. Opportunities to share work exist informally through conversations, artist talks, shared meals, and twice-yearly open studios, but participation is never required.
OBRAS welcomes emerging and established practitioners working across disciplines, including visual art, writing, music, film, architecture, performance, and research-based practices.
The property has developed over generations and includes traditional Portuguese buildings, independent cottages, and studios spread across the landscape. Surrounded