BARREIRO BURSARY

Applications for 2026 are now open. Application deadline is the 7th September 2025 and artists will be notified by 19th September 2025.

PADA Studios with the financial support of Câmara Municipal do Barreiro has developed a bursary for visual artists originally from and/or based in Barreiro. This bursary is focused on supporting three emerging local artists who would benefit from PADA ́s residency programme and facilities.

Candidates will be selected to attend the programme for three months, in the following periods:

  • SEASON 1: January, February and March 2026 (1 artist)

  • SEASON 2: April, May and June 2026 (2 artists)

Preferred season is asked on the application form.

Make sure you read and familiarise yourself with the program and the residency guidelines before applying.

Broken glass on the floor next to a shattered computer monitor, with tools and disassembled appliance parts nearby.
Person cooking at a kitchen counter with a stove, pot, bowls, and vegetables, illuminated by red heat lamps.
Broken glass shards arranged on the floor, forming abstract shapes with a white wall in the background.
A mannequin dressed in black clothing standing on an orange and yellow platform in a minimalist white gallery space with a small screen mounted on the wall and a photograph on the side wall.
An abstract, colorful mixed-media painting on two wooden panels leaning against a white wall in a minimalistic room. The artwork features various doodles, text, and cartoon-like characters, with a red 'X' crossing out parts of the composition.
A young woman and an older woman stand in a room with a concrete floor and plain white walls. The young woman, wearing a blue jumpsuit with paint stains, is holding a small object in her hand. The older woman, wearing a patterned shirt, black pants,
Contemporary art gallery with white walls and ceiling, featuring sculpture of a large dark sphere on a pile of wooden planks, a metal sculpture of a spider on the right wall, a flat-screen TV on the wall displaying an image, and a framed artwork on t
An abstract sculpture made of irregularly shaped brownish sticks arranged on a white gallery floor, forming an open, irregularly shaped outline.
An abstract sculpture made of black metal strips shaped into a sphere, positioned on a bed of similar strips on a white gallery floor.

The residency includes

Programme of Activities and Support

We believe dialogue is important for a rich studio practice, and the residency programme has been developed with this in mind. By organising monthly activities, artists have the opportunity to engage with each other and develop new contacts.

PADA provides structured opportunities for artistic development through a programme of tours, presentations, critiques, and mentoring:

  • History Tour
    Artists are taken to the Industrial Museum, where a local historian will do a brief introduction to the history of Companhia União Fabril (CUF). Artists that would like to work with the archives, can make further meetings.

  • Industrial Park Tour
    PADA provides a 2h walking tour to the restricted areas of the industrial park (old Sotinco Paint Factory and the North side of the Industrial Park) to introduce artists to the contemporary reality of the area.

  • Gallery Tour
    The curator of the residency prepares and conducts a tour to some galleries, artist-run spaces, artists’ studios and other exhibitions venues or projects in Lisbon. This is aimed to expand the artists network within Lisbon and showcase some of the Portuguese art scene.

  • Artist Presentations
    At the start of the residency, artists give a short, informal 10-minute introduction to their practice. These sessions are led by the residency curator and PADA’s founder, who also outline the programme ahead.

  • 1–to–1 Curatorial Meetings
    Artists receive two in-depth studio visits with the curator—early and mid-residency—to discuss goals, ideas, and progress. These meetings support critical reflection and professional exchange.

  • Studio Crits
    Mid-residency group critiques are held in the studios, offering artists the chance to present their work-in-progress and receive feedback from peers, the director, and curator.

  • Guest Curator Sessions
    A visiting curator presents their curatorial practice and meets individually with each artist. They also participate in gallery crits and play a key role in curating the final group exhibition.

  • Gallery Crits
    Final critiques are held in the gallery, where each artist presents up to three finished works. The session supports final exhibition planning and culminates in the selection of works for the concluding group show.

Facilities

  • 36 m2 open studio

  • Access to all PADA Studios facilities, including gallery and workshop

  • Access to the restricted areas of the Industrial Park

The Bursary

Câmara Municipal do Barreiro is financially supporting 3 artists per year with a bursary to cover the costs for the residency programme. The bursary doesn’t include a pecuniary grant, materials, meals nor accommodation.

How to apply

Application is done via an Open Call.

This Open Call deadline is 5th December and artists will be notified by 10th December, 2024.

This is what you will need to apply and begin your preparations (updated may occur until the open call is officially opened).

  • Personal details and contacts

  • Preferred season

  • CV

  • Cover letter introducing yourself and your motivation, including your relation with Barreiro (max. 300 words)

  • Artist statement describing your practice/research and areas of interest (max. 300 words) *

  • Project proposal indicating any particular project you would like to propose for the residency (max. 300 words) *

  • Portfolio (max. 10 pages, 12MB)

  • A few sentences about how your project will minimise its impact on the environment

* As an international residency, artists applying must be comfortable communicating in English; the application form you'll find ‘pt’ and ‘en’ fields to fill in with your artist statement and project proposal, all other entries must be written in English.

Selection criteria

Artists will be selected based on their project proposal. Nevertheless, PADA will give preference to proposals from artists originally from and/or based in Barreiro. We will also consider projects looking to research about the location.

Other preferences include:

  • Recent graduate in visual arts (no more than 5 years)

  • Availability and commitment to carry out the proposed project during the 3 months

  • Artists applying must be comfortable communicating in English

After applying

Artists will be informed by the 10th December about the success of the application.

After receiving the invitation, a two-part agreement between the prospective resident and PADA will be signed. A copy of that agreement can be requested in advance should you have any questions. Cancellations have to be announced with as much notice as possible.

By the time artists start their residency, a security deposit of €50 will be charged. Any damages or incurred costs shall be deducted from the deposit. The security deposits return shall take place after the termination of the artists involvement in the residency, if its retention is not justified.

Residencies are for an agreed period of 3 months months and will begin and end in the indicated dates. Recipients of this grant may hold commitments outside the residence. However, they are still expected to use the studios regularly and participate in all the programme’s activities.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.