--- title: >- An Artist-Run Residency for Creation, Community and Exchange: Welcome to Escola Normal description: >- Self-directed artist residency in a historic Porto house, open to all disciplines, with private room, shared studios and a daily fee. url: 'https://www.artsume.com/programs/49089723-5d41-4c31-a677-a4a81d33f857' type: program status: open createdAt: '2026-09-04' updatedAt: '2026-09-30' programType: Residency organization: Escola Normal organizationUrl: 'https://www.artsume.com/o/escola-normal' deadline: '2026-11-30' location: 'Escola Normal, Porto, Portugal' isOnline: false compensationRange: >- No stipend; residents pay a daily residency fee that covers accommodation and studio access --- # An Artist-Run Residency for Creation, Community and Exchange: Welcome to Escola Normal **Hosted by:** Escola Normal **Type:** Residency | **Location:** Escola Normal, Porto, Portugal | **Deadline:** November 30, 2026 ## About This Program Set within a historic home in Porto, Portugal, it is a place where people live together, make things together and occasionally reinvent their lives over coffee in the kitchen. We welcome artists from all disciplines and at all stages of their practice: musicians, dancers, writers, photographers, filmmakers, visual artists, performers, textile practitioners and those whose work resists definition. Some arrive with a clear project in mind; others arrive with unfinished ideas, creative blocks or the desire to experiment without the pressure of immediate results. Life at Escola Normal unfolds through shared meals, late-night conversations, rehearsals, walks to concerts, spontaneous collaborations and time spent alone with one's work. Residents have access to music, photography, visual arts and sewing studios, as well as presentation spaces and the cultural programme of the house. There are no mandatory outcomes. We do not believe every residency should end with a polished product. Sometimes the most important thing an artist takes away is a new question, an unexpected encounter or the feeling of having found time to listen to their own voice again. ### Duration of residency Come for a week, a month or longer. The rhythm of each residency is shaped together, according to the needs of the artist and the possibilities of the house. ### Accommodation Artists stay in a private bedroom within the Escola Normal residency house. The room is equipped with two double beds and residents have access to shared bathrooms, a communal kitchen, dining and living areas, laundry facilities, a garden and a vegetable garden. The accommodation is fully integrated into the residency environment, allowing artists to live and work in the same space throughout their stay. ### Disciplines, work equipment and assistance Escola Normal welcomes artists from all disciplines, including music, visual arts, photography, film, performance, writing, textile practices, design and interdisciplinary projects. Residents have access to shared workspaces within the house, including a p ### Studio / Workspace Residents have access to a range of shared workspaces within the Escola Normal house. These include a professional music studio for recording, rehearsal and production, a visual arts studio, a sewing and textile studio, a photography studio, and spaces su ### Fees and support The residency fee is approximately €40 per day. Longer stays may benefit from adjusted daily rates, depending on the duration of the residency and the needs of the project. The fee includes accommodation, access to all shared studios and workspaces, communal facilities, and participation in the artistic and cultural life of Escola Normal, including concerts, exhibitions and other events taking place during the residency period. Depending on the nature of the project and availability, artists may also benefit from artistic mentoring, technical support and guidance in areas such as music production, audiovisual documentation and project development. ### Expectations towards the artist There are no mandatory outcomes or production requirements during the residency. Artists are free to use their time at Escola Normal in the way that best supports their practice, whether that means creating, researching, experimenting, resting or collaborating. Residents are encouraged, but not required, to share aspects of their work through an informal presentation, conversation, open studio, performance, screening, exhibition or workshop, depending on their discipline and interests. More than anything, we ask artists to engage respectfully with the shared environment of the house and to contribute to the spirit of curiosity, generosity and exchange that shapes the Escola Normal community. ### Application information Artists can apply by sending the following materials in a single PDF document (maximum 10 MB): - Short biography (max. 300 words) - Artist statement or project description (max. 500 words) - Portfolio, website or links to previous work (up to 10 examples) - Preferred residency dates and duration - Contact information Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by the Escola Normal team. We welcome artists from all disciplines, backgrounds and stages of their careers. Selection is based on the relevance of the proposed project to the residency environment, the applicant's motivation, and the potential for exchange within the Escola Normal community. Formal education, institutional recognition or previous residency experience are not required. We are particularly interested in artists who are curious, experimental, generous in sharing ideas, and open to living and working alongside other creative practitioners. Escola Normal values process as much as outcome. We encourage applications from artists pursuing unconventional paths, interdisciplinary approaches, unfinished ideas, unexpected obsessions and projects that may not easily fit within traditional artistic frameworks. ## Eligibility & Requirements - **Career Stage:** Open to all - **Geographic Eligibility:** International - **Disciplines:** All disciplines - **Note:** We welcome artists from all disciplines, backgrounds and stages of their careers. Selection is based on the relevance of the proposed project to the residency environment, the applicant's motivation, and the potential for exchange within the Escola Normal community. Formal education, institutional recognition or previous residency experience are not required. We are particularly interested in artists who are curious, experimental, generous in sharing ideas, and open to living and working alongside other creative practitioners. Escola Normal values process as much as outcome, and encourages applications from artists pursuing unconventional paths, interdisciplinary approaches, unfinished ideas, unexpected obsessions and projects that may not easily fit within traditional artistic frameworks. ### Additional Requirements - Short biography (max. 300 words) - Artist statement or project description (max. 500 words) - Portfolio, website or links to previous work (up to 10 examples) - Preferred residency dates and duration - Contact information ## Compensation & Benefits No stipend; residents pay a daily residency fee that covers accommodation and studio access The residency fee is approximately €40 per day, with adjusted daily rates possible for longer stays. The fee includes accommodation, access to all shared studios and workspaces, communal facilities, and participation in the artistic and cultural life of Escola Normal. Depending on the project and availability, artists may also receive artistic mentoring, technical support and guidance in areas such as music production, audiovisual documentation and project development. ## What's Provided - **Housing:** Provided - Private bedroom within the Escola Normal residency house, equipped with two double beds; shared bathrooms, communal kitchen, dining and living areas, laundry facilities, a garden and a vegetable garden. - **Studio Access:** Provided - Shared workspaces including a professional music studio for recording, rehearsal and production, a visual arts studio, a sewing and textile studio, and a photography studio, plus presentation spaces. ## Timeline - **Opens:** September 4, 2026 - **Deadline:** November 30, 2026 - **Program Start:** June 30, 2026 - **Program End:** December 31, 2026 ## Contact **Email:** residencias@escolanormal.com ## How to Apply