call: AIR program in Fablab Buinho (Portugal) 2020-21
Deadline: 21 August 2020
Call for entries
AIR program in Fablab Buinho (Portugal) 2020-21
Dates & location of event context: Buinho offers a unique working experience in the historic town of Messejana, Southern Portugal. Messejana is a place of delightful contrasts, between the past aristocratic houses with its hidden, patios, the small rural dwellings, and baroque white churches. All surrounded by endless plains and old cork trees that characterize the Alentejo region. It is located in the sunniest region of Europe, providing more than 3000 hours of sunshine per year, also famous for its gastronomy, and just 1 hour and a half from Lisbon and other major cities.
The current open call is for the period October 2020 until April 2021.
Portugal has eased Covid-19 lockdown measures and we are reopening our residency program in August. We adapted our program in full compliance to COVID19 safety recommendations.
Living in a rural environment is an advantage, but Buinho offers more than just a safe place. We are in the historic town of Messejana, Southern Portugal. Besides the surrounding natural landscape and heritage, our fablab and studios are equipped with all the necessary tools and equipment’s to enhance the possibilities of experimentation of our residents. Besides access to lasercut, 3D printing and other technologies, Buinho also provides free introductory courses and production assistance.
Buinho Fablab opened in 2016, and became a European reference as the only artistic residencies based on a Fablab, enabling the merging of Art, Technology and Digital Fabrication. Ever since we have received visual artists, performance artists, photographers, curators, writers, sculptors, designers, media artists, from all the different continents, confirming the eclectic nature of our program.
Today Buinho has two houses, offering private accommodation, shared and individual studios, a digital fabrication workshop, and exhibition spaces. Besides our own properties and equipment’s, we also run together with the local municipality a Precious Plastic Workshop, where resident artists can work with metal, larger sculpture pieces or installations, or recycle plastic. Together with the local school and kindergarten, we provide support to a small network of three makerspaces dedicated to tech education from 3 to 12 years old, where artists can propose activities and workshops.
Our residency program is suitable for artists from different disciplines and backgrounds, including Visual arts, Sculpture, Photography, Writing, Design, New Media, Curatorial, Performance, Research
Our staff provides weekly curatorial support to the residents, for advise, discussion and follow up of the residency project.
The residency program provides production support, and access to the equipment’s and spaces.
Buinho AIR program also provides free weekly tutorials and workshops about 3D printing, 3D modeling, CNC and laser cutting, robotics, and plastic recycling.
The program also includes weekly contacts with the locals from Messejana where we explore traditional practices as goat cheese or bread making, or visits to traditional artisans workshops. Buinho also offers some special programs and workshops to our residents, as the Precious Plastic Workshop (for recycling plastic), or our special education branch called Buinho Education (digital empowerment of local children and seniors).
We possess a wide list of equipment, from heavy-duty easels to workshop tools that we make available to our residents. We also offer unique working capabilities in terms of digital fabrication due to our fablab. A list of some of this digital fabrication equipment and audiovisuals can be found on our website – https://buinho.pt/fablab/
Entry Fees
Yes. We do not have public or private funding for the residencies, and besides 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 non-for-profit association based in a rural area.
In Buinho we also try to differentiate the value of the residency fees according to the characteristics of the accommodation. Bedrooms have different dimensions, spaces, and one has a private bathroom. By differentiating the fees, we are establishing a fairer criterion between residents, and enabling those with fewer incomes to come to Buinho.
Monthly fees are the following:
1. São João larger bedroom with private bathroom – 700€;
2. São João other two bedrooms – 650€;
3. Buinho bedroom with private studio – 700€;
4. Buinho bedroom with shared studio – 600€
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.
Contact adresses/URL: If you wish to know more about how to apply please visit our website https://buinho.pt/residency-2/ or contact us to info@buinho.pt
We have also prepared some short vÃdeos about Messejana and our project:
Makers of Messejana – https://vimeo.com/250777448
Dança dos Pássaros – https://vimeo.com/443880245
