Residency
PADA offers artists a stimulating space to focus on their practice, work alongside artists from all over the world and engage with the local art scene.
Info
Set in a derelict industrial park with history dating back to 1885, our location gives artists-in-residence a unique experience. Artists will be surrounded by history as well as local fabricators providing inspiration, material knowledge and resources for experimentation and production. PADA’s facilities reinforce this with large studios and technical support to encourage and facilitate ambitious work.
The residency is primarily self led and artists are expected to be self sufficient. The supplementary programme at PADA is designed to introduce artists to the area, to the Lisbon art scene and to encourage dialogue between those in residence.
At PADA, we promote interaction with the local community through projects and artistic interventions that engage with the environment. We aim to create a more sustainable residency and encourage artistic practices that share this ethos.
Over the last six years, PADA has worked with 400 artists from all over the world. As part of the Studio & Gallery Programmes, PADA has organised more than 50 exhibitions, including the end-of-residency group exhibitions to showcase the work developed by the current Artists-in-Residence.
Programmes
PADA currently hosts 5 different residencies:
International Residency
Bolsa PADA
Bolsa Barreiro
Research Residency
Alumni Studio
The International Residency is PADA's main programme, around which the other residency programmes are articulated. At full capacity PADA will host 13 artists at a time across all 5 programmes. These are inclusive and artists are encouraged to attend all social activities and events. To find out more about each individual programme, read below and go to the corresponding open call pages under ‘residency’ in the main menu.
Facilities
PADA Studios is a spacious 1000 m² converted warehouse located in the center of Baia do Tejo Industrial Park. Divided into two floors with a mezzanine overlooking the residency studios, the warehouse is home to PADA Gallery and all residency facilities. There is Wi-Fi and residents have access to the studios 24/7.
Located on the ground floor is:
10 studios for the International Residency
workshop for wood and metal
small dark room
PADA Gallery
On the first floor:
2 studios for the Bolsa Barreiro and Alumni Studio
dedicated work space for Research Residency
large living area
communal kitchen
small library
Artists-in-Residence will be accommodated 5 minutes walk from the studios in 4 separate cottages in the beautiful and quiet area of Bairro de Santa Barbara - the old workers village.
Each cottage has 3 private double bedrooms. There is a shared living room with washing machine, basic kitchen facilities and a bathroom. Wi-Fi connection is available throughout the apartment.
International Residency
The residency at PADA welcomes applications from artists in a variety of media for a duration of 1 or 2 months.
Artists are provided with a large studio space and accommodation in a private double bedroom. The studios can accommodate 10 artists each month wishing to immerse themselves in their work and/or research.
PADA provides artists with the space to explore practices, concepts, new ideas and materials and to develop a project while receiving feedback and support. Participants are also encouraged to propose talks and workshops, and to engage with the local art scene. The support, networks and creative environment offered by PADA encourages professional/artistic development and international contacts.
At the conclusion of the residency, artists are invited to showcase their work in PADA’s gallery as part of a group exhibition, which will run in conjunction with open studios.
Applications are done via an Open Call. Applications for Spring/Summer 2025 are now closed. The cost for each month of residency is 1550€. PADA is not for profit association and currently receives very limited financial support. We encourage selected artists to apply for personal funding to cover all costs involved.
Bolsa PADA
Bolsa PADA 2025 is a bursary for artists with Portuguese nationality and/or permanent residency in Portugal to participate in PADA's international residency programme.
Awarded artists will benefit from all features included in PADA’s international residency programme. This includes studio space and access to all PADA facilities, accommodation, programme of activities, curatorial and technical support, final group exhibition, open studios and other events, plus professional documentation of their work.
Considering all current programmes and bursaries at PADA, the studios can accommodate 13 artists at the same time. PADA provides artists with the space to explore practices, concepts, new ideas and materials and to develop a project while receiving feedback and support. Participants are also encouraged to propose talks and workshops, and to engage with the local art scene. The support, networks and creative environment offered by PADA encourages professional/artistic development and international contacts.
At the conclusion of the residency, artists are invited to showcase their work in PADA’s gallery as part of a group exhibition, which will run in conjunction with open studios.
Applications are done via an Open Call. The current application is for residencies between April and November 2025. The residency fee is fully supported by PADA. Application deadline is the 12th February 2025 and artists will be notified by 21st February 2025.
Bolsa Barreiro
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.
Yearly, 3 emerging local artists will benefit from this bursary, attending PADA´s main residency programme alongside the International Residency for 3 months each. In addition to all the activities included in the main programme, Barreiro Bursary artists have access to all studio facilities, including an individual studio. At the end of the annual cycle, the 3 artists will feature in an exhibition in PADA Gallery.
This bursary is focused in supporting recently graduated artists, assisting their professional development. The residency fee is fully supported by Câmara Municipal do Barreiro and PADA.
Applications are done via an Open Call. Applications for Bolsa Barreiro 2025 are now closed.
Research Residency
This programme is designed to appeal to those who want to spend time with the community at PADA but don't need a studio space. Aimed at writers, curators, researchers or desk based artists this residency will provide accommodation and a work space at PADA studios.
The opportunity will be in line with the international residency programme and participants are welcome to join in with all social aspects of the programme. We hope this will bring diversity to the activities at PADA and increase the trans-disciplinary nature of the residency as a whole.
Applications will be done via an Open Call twice a year. The cost is €300/2 weeks or €550/month (minimum stay of 2 weeks, no maximum stay). Applications for Spring/Summer 2025 Research Residency are now closed.
Alumni Studio
This programme provides the opportunity for PADA alumni to return to continue a project they started or simply to come back to visit us in Barreiro.
Exclusive to alumni this programme is more autonomous, artists are provided with accommodation and studio but are not included within the curatorial programme and will not take part in the International Residency group show.
Nevertheless, artists under this programme are welcome to attend some of the activities of the main programme and have access to all facilities at PADA, including workshops and a 36m2 studio space.
Applications will be done via an Open Call twice a year. The cost is €550/2 weeks or €1000/month (minimum stay of 2 weeks, no maximum stay). Applications for Spring/Summer 2025 Alumni Studio are now closed.