Basic information
The duration of the residency can be from 2 weeks to 4 months.
You are free to decide if you want to stay in Aviário Studio accommodation or to find somewhere else to stay.
Aviário Studio is open from Monday to Friday (excluding Portuguese public holidays), from 9 am to 6 pm.
All residency programs include full access to workshops. Equipment can be used based on demonstrated experience, or after joining paid beginner training.
Materials aren't included in the residency fee. Artists should bring or buy their own. We have a selection available for sale at the studio, suited to different techniques and our equipment. If you're bringing your own, just make sure everything's a good fit with our tools and eco-friendly policies.
We will help you to prepare for your residency ahead of your visit.
The fee depends on the type of services you request.
Prices
Aviário Studio
1 day — 30€
1 week — 150€
2 weeks — 300€
3 weeks — 450€
4 weeks — 600€
Aviário Studio + Home
1 day — 60€
1 week — 360€
2 weeks — 720€
3 weeks — 1080€
4 weeks — 1440€
Aviário Support*
1 hour — 20€
*In case you need some help with new technics or assistance on a personal project
Pricing notes:
Meals and materials are not included.
The studio working week is Monday to Friday.
We can give you a quote after you apply.
Types of Art Residency
Self-Directed Art Residency
A Self-Directed Residency offers time and space to focus on your work. It is an invitation to seriously engage with your practice and creative process. You can find individual space to settle, and well-equipped workshops with specialized equipment to test possibilities and materialize your ideas.
This residency is conceived for emerging, mid-career and established artists who wish to work independently on research and/or production. Extra technical, training, or creative guidance can be requested at any time during the residency, subject to a fee and availability.
Guided Art Residency
A Guided Residency is all about breaking new ground and trying different things. If you want to discover a new medium or to dig deeper into an art technique, you have the opportunity to experiment, get technical training and guidance, and expand your artistic possibilities. We will create a customised plan with you according to your goals and interests, allowing you to combine training with time for independent work. Communication is important: the more we know about your residency goals, the better we can shape a plan with you.
The number of training hours depends on the chosen art technique(s) and your goals. You will receive a fee quotation for your residency once your plan is structured and approved by you.
Assisted Production Residency
An Assisted Production Residency is for artists with technical knowledge who are focused on a specific outcome. Some large format projects or extensive work need well-equipped workshops and, often, extra production help. This residency is perfect to bring your ideas alive with all the equipment, space, and technical support you need. The fee quotation for your residency depends on the amount of assistance you request.
Planning your residency
What is included in the Aviário Studio residency?
Individual working space with a desk and internet access. Access to workshops and equipment according to your experience.
What is not included in the Aviário studio residency?
Materials, consumables, services, and outside services are not included. Aviário Studio team does not execute the residents’ art pieces. Training and technical assistance are not included.
What if I want to try new things and I need more technical help?
Feel free to schedule extra time with the Aviário Studio technical team if you’d like to experiment or take your project further than initially planned. Please keep in mind that we are a small team, and scheduling additional support may be subject to availability.
Clients of Aviário Studio are responsible for their own safety while using the studio space and equipment.
To access Aviário Studio and utilize its facilities and tools, each client must sign a Release of Liability and Letter of Agreement before participation. (Download the documents here.) By doing so, clients acknowledge their responsibility to adhere to all safety guidelines and agree to use the space and materials respectfully and conscientiously.
We strongly advise all artists to obtain insurance covering any potential costs related to workplace accidents or health issues during their artistic residency.
Materials and services:
We have a limited selection of art materials available for purchase at the studio. Please check with us for stock availability and prices.
If you need specific materials to develop your project, we can advise on suppliers and shops. Due to our location, some materials depend on shipping services. To ensure you can begin working right away, plan your residency in advance: bring/ship your materials to Aviário Studio or order through us in advance.
Payment:
Residency fee
After applying, we will give you a fee quotation for your residency, according to your dates and needs. To secure your place, you will need to pay 50% of the fee. The remainder of the fee is due upon your arrival for the residency.
Materials & services
Expenses for materials are payable at the end of each week.
End of the residency
Think ahead about what you want to do with the outcomes of your residency! Carrying the works and materials back home may not be an easy solution. Shipping can be a better option. In this case, you will need to plan some time to pack your work and hire a shipping company to collect it.
Beware: we don’t provide packing or shipping services. Any work or material left behind will be added to Aviário Studio’s collection or recycled into new materials.
Please communicate with us!
Write to us in advance to submit your project, so we can organize and provide you with the best service.
My first day
Once you arrive in Ferreira do Zêzere, if you’re staying in the Aviário Studio accommodation, we’ll show you around the house and to your room. We’ll also let you know where you can purchase groceries and find local restaurants. On your first day at the studio, we’ll sit down together to talk about your goals and expectations for the residency. We’ll also go over any materials you might need, offer technical support or creative guidance, and explain how to access the studio equipment.
Former Aviário Studio clients are the best testimonials of our art residencies and services.
At the end of each residency, and with the residents will, we share a short presentation of the artist and the work developed here on our website and social media.
Feel free to reach out to our artists through our website or social media and ask them about their experience with us.
Platforms where you can find us
Aviário Studio Accommodation
You may decide to stay at Aviário Studio’s accommodations or search for accommodation on your own. If you choose to stay at Aviário Studio’s accommodation, you will be living in a shared house in the centre of Ferreira do Zêzere, 2 km from the studio. Single occupancy and double rooms are available. The accommodation is a fully equipped house comprising a living room, kitchen, bathroom, WC, three double bedrooms, one couple bedroom, and paved outdoor area. There is free Wi-Fi at the house.
You are welcome to bring a partner who will not join the studio, paying only for their accommodation. Children and pets are not allowed. Towels and bed linens will be changed once a week. There is no maid service. You can make your bed, or not, as you wish! But please do keep a quiet and clean house environment.
Supermarkets, a fresh produce market, pharmacies, a post office, a skatepark, a public swimming pool, and several cafes and restaurants are all within easy walking distance.
Check here for the house rules.
How to get to Ferreira do Zêzere
Travel from Lisbon or Porto to Ferreira do Zêzere is either by train (to Entroncomento or Tomar) and taxi, or bus to Ferreira do Zêzere. After you apply and confirm your residency, we will advise the best travel options to Ferreira do Zêzere.
How to get to the studio
Feel free to use the bicycles at the accommodation or share car rides to the studio and back twice a day (9 am & 6 pm). You also can enjoy a 15-minute walk to the studio!
Weekends
Ferreira do Zêzere and its surroundings have wonderful places to visit on weekends and public holidays. There are many trails surrounded by beautiful landscapes, the Castelo do Bode Dam, where you can go for a swim or enjoy water sports, and the amazing local gastronomy to try. Further afield, there are destinations with historical, cultural, and traditional significance that are well worth visiting: the village of Dornes, known for its supposed energetic vortex (15 km); Tomar, the city of the Templar Knights (20 km); the artistic garden of Vila Nova da Barquinha and the historic village of Constância (50 km); Coimbra, said to have inspired Harry Potter (70 km); Nazaré, home to the biggest waves in the world (90 km); Lisbon, the capital (150 km); and Porto, the largest city in the north of Portugal (200 km).
If you want to make the most of your free time during the residency to explore Portugal, we strongly recommend renting a car. The roads and traffic are generally calm and easy-going, offering a wide variety of landscapes to discover.
Aviário Studio Team
Cristiana Fernandes
fine arts, printmaker
João Raposo
fine arts, installation, sculpture
Daisy Eltenton
ceramics