The School of Art and Design and UK Gov Turing Fund is providing L6, L7 and PhD students the opportunity to cultivate your professional development in Portugal. Apply Today!

KEY DATES

Residency 4 weeks in July-August 2025 (Dates tbc)

Deadline for Applications: By 3pm Friday 30th May 2025

Application Form Here – please sign up on the Rise site with the link above and complete this form to apply.

KEY DETAILS

This opportunity is offering a 4 -week creative residency at the FÁBRICA DA CRIATIVIDADE in the city of Castelo Branco, return flights and transfers to Portugal from Manchester, B&B accommodation in a city centre serviced student house with subsistence (approx £500) to cover living costs for the 4 weeks. 

This opportunity is being funded by The Mayor of the City of Castelo Branco, The UK Gov Turing Fund and the School of Art and Design at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Students will undertake the 4 week residency in full and become creative citizens in Castelo Branco for the 4 weeks (to adhere with the funding conditions). Members from the School of Art and Design team will travel out to Portugal with the students at the commencement of the residency and will provide tutorial support to students during the 4-week residency period.

The 2025 residency will include daily access to the studios and facilities at FÁBRICA DA CRIATIVIDADE, a purposeful creative arts centre in the City Centre of Castelo Branco. This centre houses studios, digital facilities, small making workshops and equipment and creative spaces for creative practices and practitioners in Castelo Branco. The FÁBRICA DA CRIATIVIDADE, is housed within an old textile factory so is a cool expansive space suitable for a range of practices. Students previously used the space to make Textile, Illustration, Ceramic, Furniture and Product Design, Photography and Drawing but there is space for a wider range of digital or other Creative Practice. 

See film of 2025 residency

Student feedback from 2024 Residency:

“It was also really good to spend some time with a new set of lovely people”

“The combination of artistic inspiration, cultural immersion, and community support made this opportunity an incredibly enriching and transformative experience. The chance to deeply engage with Portuguese culture from Castelo Branco and heritage was the highlight, providing lasting memories and significant professional and personal growth”.

“This experience helped me to push my creative practice and increased my self-confidence. I was able to take inspiration from the natural environment in Portugal and this led to a whole new body of work. This experience also pushed me outside of my comfort zone and, therefore, allowed my work to take a whole new direction”

What would you have liked to know:

“I would have thought more about what materials to bring and what I could source there – I brought a lot of materials which I could have bought there”

‘We got to experience new foods, a new pace of life, new language, new attitudes and cultures.”

“I got used to having tiny espressos and full meals instead of surviving on iced americanos, was in bed by half ten because I had to get up early to beat the heat”

Residency Expectations and Requirements

All selected participants must be available to travel to Portugal to participate in the creative residency in Castelo Branco for 4 weeks in July -Aug (Dates tbc)

Students will be required to complete Cultural Competency RISE training and engage in some essential Portuguese language study prior to travel.

Students will be expected produce a body of creative work or practice. Participants will be asked to reflect on the experience (through a blog/travelogue) to be shared with the residency organiser.

Participants will also be expected to share and and participate in a residency exhibition in the School of Art and Manchester Cathedral in 2025.

GUIDELINES AND HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your CV & Expression of Interest (max 300 words) Deadline for Applications: by 3pm on Friday 30th June.

Passport

You must have a a passport valid for the residency period (valid until end of August 2025).

NB: International students will be required to obtain a Schengen visa which the organising team can provide support to obtain.

CV

Provide your CV

300-word expression of interest:

A brief statement outlining your interest in this opportunity and how the experience will impact your future practice and enable you to develop professional skills and graduate attributes  (See further advice below).

You should also upload some creative practice evidence to support your application.

Apply Here

What happens next?

If you are accepted onto the shortlist, you will be required to discuss the opportunity with your referee. This is a mandatory part of the selection process. 

If you are successful in being offered a place, you will be supported you through the steps needed to take up the opportunity, to plan and prepare. You will be required to undertake the Cultural Competency RISE training and to engage with some Portuguese language study prior to travel.

Further advice for your expression of interest

Students who study abroad develop a skill set that is valued by employers. Some skills and qualities are useful to develop to facilitate a successful experience. 

1.    Motivation: By living abroad, you will be taken outside of your comfort zone and may face a range of different challenges during your residency abroad journey. Key skills and qualities include resilience, organisation, flexibility, and patience. A positive attitude and commitment to success is important. To be selected for this programme, you need to demonstrate commitment to getting the most out of your experience. You will experience a different way of life whilst overseas, and you will need to deal with this with a positive attitude and pragmatism, whilst taking responsibility for your success. You will need to be a self-motivated, culturally intelligent and proactive individual with a collaborative and mature approach to your work and others.

2.    Developing yourself: Taking part in a residency abroad provides a great opportunity to develop yourself personally, culturally, and academically. What will you do to make the most of your experience to achieve your residency abroad goals? How will Turing Scheme funding help you to achieve your goals and aid your commitment to your creative development and artistic ambition toward creating relevant work for the autumn exhibition 2024.

Key Skills…Self-resilience, organisation, adaptability, flexibility, and creativity.

APPLY HERE

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