Convento Sâo Francisco
The residency programme at the Convento offers artists, designers, writers and musicians from all over the world, the opportunity to create work in an atmosphere of supportive creativity. Artists can use the Convento as a retreat but the energy created at the Convento owes itself to the mixture of people working in different disciplines coming together, in order to experiment and produce (a new body of) art. The grounds of the Convento can be used to produce and exhibit work. The grounds of the Convento (40 hectares) include: the biological gardens, woodlands, river, bird sanctuary and Water Museum.
The self-sufficient studios are housed in the old stables, which overlook the gardens and hills beyond. They offer a quiet cottage away from the main building for those in need of a place to work undisturbed.
Accommodation in studios, apartments and cottage (check website for details)
- Individual studio space, kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area.
- Monastery’s Church and meditation chapel for performance arts and music making.
- The grounds of the Convento to produce and exhibit work.
- Small library.
- Communal internet access point.
- Workshop facilities and tools.
- If requested, to hold workshops with local residents.
The little town Mértola is located next to the river Guadiana. From the top of the town you can see the Convento Sao Francisco. While the nearby town can provide basic necessities of food (shops, restaurants, cafes, bars), the Convento is a quiet place for individuals to “re-tune” and meditate.The Chapel is turned into a gueststudio and exhibition space. The organic garden is also a sculpture park for the public and consists of 40 hectare. By plane is the best connection through Lisboa and the express busline which arrives at Mértola at 9.00 PM. The Convent is reachable by a little walk, or a taxi for the luggage. From Faro Airport there are no busses going to Mértola. Order a taxi from Mértola, costs are US$ 54 and takes about 2 hours.