25 spaces of Faro will be open for another edition of “Open Studios” which starts this Friday, October 11th.
There are studios, houses, cultural associations and institutions: all with their doors open to host exhibitions and activities by more than 70 local and international artists. This year, the event's theme is “Rescue”, promoting the revitalization of the Algarve's artistic capital and culture as a true currency for rescuing the community.
After a one-year hiatus and the transition to a biennial format, Open Studios Faro (OSF) return stronger and more inclusive.
Over the course of three days, 25 locations spread across the city and surrounding areas will host exhibitions, talks, workshops, performances and meetings with artists, reaffirming the commitment to democratizing access to art.
This year, OSF not only celebrates creativity, but also emphasizes the rescue of Algarve culture.
“We want culture to be a true currency of rescue, reaching all spheres of society. By involving local associations and artists from diverse backgrounds, we are working to integrate all voices and perspectives,” highlighted Daniela Garcia, one of the event’s coordinators.
One of the main new features of this edition is the grand opening exhibition “Filling Tanks with Ghosts”, on October 11th, at 17 pm, in the old REFER warehouses.
Curated by artist Miguel Cheta, the exhibition will bring together works by 17 national artists, offering the public an immersion in contemporary art.
Of this year's OSF schedule, 20 are open studios, of which six are improvised (pop-up studios), located in different associations and cultural spaces in the city.
One of the main highlights is the Brazilian Consulate, which will host Jaqueline Arashida's pop-up studio. During the event, the artist will create a collaborative painting with the public that will be donated to the Algarve Association of Parents and Friends of Mentally Handicapped Children (AAPACDM), reinforcing the OSF's commitment to community participation through art.
Other pop-up studios include the Torre da Horta dos Cães, run by the association Faro 1540, the associations arQuente, aeQuum, Alfa and Refer Studios, which welcome guest artists, not resident in Faro, expanding the artistic reach throughout the city.
In addition to the traditional itinerary of studio visits, this year's event expands parallel activities with a program focused on
participation open to the community and for all ages.
In this sense, “paid workshops will give way to free and collaborative sessions, reinforcing the inclusion and involvement of everyone, without economic barriers”, explained Toma Svazaite, from the organization.
Among the activities, the collective installation for families “Pollinization Dome” stands out, with cultural mediator Margarida Botelho,
“Woodify” children’s workshop, on building wooden candlesticks, with Emerson Ekberg, the “Stories with Stitches” workshop, organized by Clube da Agulha, at the Municipal Library of Faro, the round table on the creative process of the play “Hierarchy of Fear”, with the artistic director and choreographer Noé, at the aeQuum Association, or the meeting at the home of the painter Vicente de Brito.
This edition of the OSF also joins the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April, recalling the importance of freedom, participation
community and accessibility to culture for all. “In this vein, we wanted to promote an inclusive event, involving several local associations that work with historically underrepresented groups and communities in contexts of greater social fragility, such as aeQuum (LGBTQ+ association) and the Algarve Mental Health Association (ASMAL), which include their users or associates in the creative process”, highlighted Daniela Garcia.
With an eclectic and accessible program, Open Studios Faro 2024 presents itself as a space for creation, dialogue and sharing, celebrating art as a vehicle for inclusion and cultural rescue.
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