I've had a very productive time at AiR351 thanks to the wholehearted support of its team, the inspiring fellow residents and the lovely context of Cascais. Instead of renting a room in town (which can be expensive), or spending time commuting to Lisbon, I decided to buy a tent and a bike to stay at the Campsite of Guincho Beach. Though it was challenging at times (wouldn't recommend this outside of spring/summer time), I managed to build a rhythm that allowed me lots of time quality time outside, while having highly productive days in my comfortable studio. I spend it making a decent-sized sculpture that required lots of manual labour, working with a team of performers to record a film, writing some reports and applications, giving a public artist talk, participating in the Open Studios and hosting a series of studio visits by local and international curators. I established and deepened important connections, gave my production an essential push and had an unforgettable experience on the way. Highly recommended.

The residency at Air351 was an important moment for us to focus our time on writing and production. We split our days between the studio, the residency's garden, and the surrounding areas outside, where we documented the nearby coastal landscape with its diverse aquatic life. While working on a project that focused on coastal marine life and ocean forecasting strategies, the residency's location and contacts proved to be a critical resource. We were thrilled to gain access to a significant oceanographic equipment, Marégrafo de Cascais, Europe's first tide gauge that was built in the 1880s to monitor wave activity and sea levels. The team at Air351 is incredibly warm and generous, and created a casual and inviting space to think, make, and share artwork. They connected us with various relevant institutions, coordinating interviews and visits, and also hosted regular group dinners with the other residents, as well as with cultural practitioners who were either from the area or visiting. Additionally, the residency's proximity to Lisbon, as well as to the magical hills of Sintra and the powerful beaches at Guincho, allowed us to take breaks from work and find rest and inspiration through day trips to beaches, trails, and cultural centers.

My experience as an artist in residence at AiR351 has been special in many ways, starting with its location, in an old school in the village of Cascais renovated and adapted for this purpose, while keeping its original features preserved, almost a trip back in time... On entering the house, we are already transported into an atmosphere conducive to intellectual and artistic creation, with airy studios with beautiful natural light from large windows, a small and large library, a beautiful kitchen and a small garden in the back often visited by the "resident" cats, as well as seagulls and birds. It is a quiet area that can provide the silence and concentration needed for working.
In addition to these initial considerations, which have more to do with the space itself, the programme is managed in a particular way, which is something extremely different from all the residency programmes I've experienced so far. At AiR 351, it is possible to have daily contact with the curator Luísa Especial, which can range from a simple coffee shared on one of the balconies to enthusiastic dialogues about the art or the production of the residents. There is also the important presence of Heitor Fonseca, an essential character for the functioning of the structure and the studios, and who, being also an artist, renders the exchanges on the processes extremely valuable. These contacts, however, are never intrusive, and it is possible to work in deep concentration for as long as one wishes, as the individual time and space of the artists in residence are held in considerable respect.
Regularly, lunches are held in the garden, where residents cook a special menu together or on their own, or simply get together to share a meal. At the special lunches, there is always a guest besides the remarkable presence of the Chairman of AiR 351, Luís Campos and Cunha. These are unforgettable moments where lively exchanges about art and life take place in an incredible cinema-like setting, always accompanied by the wonderful light of Cascais.
In addition to the above, another aspect that makes it qualitatively distinct from other art residency programmes is the regular organisation of resident group visits to important artists' studios and workshops, as well as regular visits by curators, critics and artists to the studios of AiR 351 residents, that create opportunities for dialogue about the work that is being produced. Last but not least, there is still the Open Studio programme, an event with a huge attendance and which represents a very important moment for the dynamics of the space and which engages the residents and organisers in a preparation that gives a boost to the project.
This whole list of features is possible because the programme prefers to establish more extensive working links, the residencies are preferably 3 months’ time, the minimum time for a whole cycle of activities and also for one’s immersion in an individual work. I have spent six months in a residence at AiR 351, which was a crucial time for the immersion and the turning point I have experienced in my work. Six unforgettable months from the artistic point of view and human exchanges,
The only problem is that everything must end! Nostalgia, AiR 351! <3
Suzana

My time at AIR351 was spent working on the pieces Misremembered bones Chapter 1 and Misremembered bones Chapter 2 as well as developing and working on my new pHD project : The Imagined Image.
This time was important – as it was a safe space where I could focus solely on my own work . Luisa was very helpful in organizing studio visits with various curators and the open studios were an opportunity to both show existing works to a new audience and share work in progress.
The programme provides an invaluable resource by bringing together international and national artists through the opening up a space for presentations where people are able to share their ideas and their research. This dialogue is vital – both for the resident artists and for those who visit – as a life blood for creativity and that (rare) space where artists can share their work with one another without the visibility of a public exhibition. This provision felt un-pressured , respectful and kind – which I would say marks the overall environment at AIR351. Plus, Heitor's barbeques are legendary .
AIR351 is a studio space away from the demands of a big city but one hour away from Lisbon. The people who work there have a knowledge of the Portuguese art scene which is practical (where to buy materials, possible locations for shooting a film) and social (what openings are going on , organizing studio visits). But if you want to just have a quiet space to work with some intermittent jumps into the ocean, that is also possible.
I hope to stay in touch with AIR351 since their support and input has been very precious to me and I hope that I can continue to support them as they have supported me.

(...) Our day-to-day work in the studio at Air351 was spent writing the script for “A Film for People” and developing scenes via photographic documentation of site visits and the editing of existing video footage. As occupants of the single large upstairs studio we had ample room and privacy to work without interruption. (...) In conclusion, we are thankful for the generosity and the hard work of Luisa Especial and Heitor Fonseca. We felt welcomed from the first day at Air351. Both took the time to perform a studio visit to understand our work and to consider how to best use our time during the residency. We are looking forward to visiting Air351 later this year and to stay connected with them and the residency program. We hope to see Air351 continue to expand into its role as a critical hub to connect international artists to the rich Portuguese contemporary art context.

(…) I felt continually supported by the staff. They were achieving the rare and perfect balance between letting me have my own freedom and privacy, and checking in for support. I felt supported as an artist but also as a person. They went above and beyond what other residencies do. Heitor drove me all around looking for materials and capturing the beauty of Sintra. Luisa gave me incredible attention and care by conducting studio visits, writting me letters of permission, and even helping me with legal challenges of staying in Portugal. Luis also helped me get permission from the municipality to run Como Está A Sua Saúde in Cascais. (…) Getting to spend an extended time in Portugal, I found Lisbon allowed for a much more sustainable balance between working and living, even in spite of being there during the covid pandemic. I had been to Lisbon one year prior to participate in a conference and only spent a few days there. I thought the city was wonderful, but four months was the time I needed to build a more serious impression and get a sense of the culture and imagine how I could fit within it.

(...) The generous grant from FLAD allowed me to merge into the residency activities and environment to be invested in a new project in the most profane way. Moreover, I was able to follow an intensive Portuguese course where learnt the language, Portuguese culture and its history. This unique residency experience has transformed my relation to Portugal. If before my connection to Portugal was through my citizen application, genealogical tree and DNA test, now it has become real and part of my professional, social and personal life.

(…) Luisa and Heitor made an initial studio visit to discuss in more detail my existing work and my intentions for the residency. I was struck right away by their patience and attentiveness. We spent almost three hours deeply engaged in the conversation.
(…) Heitor also provided invaluable support in the production of a sculpture that I conceived while at AiR. He sourced the materials and applied his meticulous craftsmanship as we worked together to realize “Keyboard”, an old computer keyboard with all the keys removed other than the spacebar, which then had plaster poured into the empty spaces that remained.
(…) I wrote over 40 songs (including a drawing for each one), made the Keyboard sculpture, did the performance in January, and also made a couple of short video works. (…) It has been five weeks since my residency concluded. That is not really enough time to process the scope of everything, but I can say it was one of the most positive art experiences I’ve ever had. The conditions at the studio are superb, due to the house itself, the community of artists gathered there, the impressive and dependable capabilities of Heitor, the incredible intellectual and professional support of Luisa, and the lively and keen presence of Luis.
Finally, one quality takes clear precedence above all others, and that is the freedom that I felt to pursue my artistic objectives. (...) But for now I can say without reservation that this experience of deeply supported freedom was the central factor in how well things went. For that I am extremely grateful to AiR 351 and FLAD.

I was in residency at AiR351 in Cascais for a year (April 2018-april2019)
The residency exceeded all my expectations. It provided me, on the one hand, with an unusually broad and luminous space to concentrate on my work and, on the other hand, put in contact with many national and international artists and curators of great awareness in our field.
Luísa Especial, the artistic director, is a wonderful person to whom I have become a personal friend. Luísa is a tactful presence, very attentive to each resident – and to each one’s moment and needs. Tireless in her will to make the most out of the residency for each one while keep great breathing space, Luísa is the most available and willing director I’ve witnessed operate. Luís Campos e Cunha, the chairman, is a very accessible, receptive and a friendly presence. Heitor Fonseca, the production director of the residency, is an incredible support for working artists thinking of possible ways of making things and has an expertise in highly rigorous thoughtful production making – be it the works or display solutions. The commitment, goodwill and generosity of this team are unforgettable.
The peace of the place and the closeness to Lisbon were very important. There were books to randomly find and peruse every day. I could go to see the sea. Get to know the other participating artists and visitors – artists, curators, programmers and professionals enriched my experience inestimably. Taking part in the residency in a dilated time also allowed relationships between peers to develop from random closeness to complicities build conscious and generously.
I had many (non-compulsory) visitors to my studio. Some meetings unfolded in taking part in exhibitions in Portugal and abroad. I participated in two Open Studios even

(…) I took accommodation in Barrio Alto in Lisbon and I used to take the train to Cascais every morning. What seems in the first place to be a long ride, developed in a time to contemplate and think; experiences that are quite hard to have those days in our speed-up society.
My time in the studio and the interaction and exchange with the director and the other artists taking place in the program, as well as the visiting curators that the director periodically invited will always be remembered as one of the highlights of my time in Lisbon and Cascais. I was able to research and develop, in a complete concentrate time, many works and projects (like an exhibition for Paris with Yvon Lambert, a book with a local publisher, a series of real-time activities that I had the chance to show for a specific project initiated by AiR351 and many other more...) helped by the production manager at the site, always able to provide help and intriguing solutions to my daring wishes for sculptural works.
I would here like to remember the periodical lunches with the artists, director and president in the orchard adjacent to the studios, providing cohesive and happy moments, never to be forgotten. I have been in residency program in New York, Dublin, Berlin, Shanghai, Paris and other venues, but AiR351 in Cascais and the valuable crew have left a tangible trace in my work.

I had the opportunity to work at AIR 351 during the summer months, and found it to be a good working experience. The residency is located at an old reformed school at Cascais, a small town by the sea, in a 45-minute commute from Lisbon by train. For me it provided a peaceful environment to produce work, and it is close enough to the city to be able to live or visit, and be connected with its cultural life which is quite rich. During the residency I worked closely with Luisa Especial, curator and organizer of many helpful meetings with artists and curators, along with organizing trips to museums shows and collections. Heitor Fonseca, artist with expert workmanship, who helped me construct all sorts of things for my projects. And Luis Campos Cunha, producer and host of pleasant networking reunions. Overall It was an enjoyable experience, Cascais is a beautiful peaceful town and I was able to go for a swim when I was feeling overworked.

(…) I find it important to mention that the AiR team was very understanding and supportive in terms of my artistic research as well as production possibilities. All my – sometimes very specific – needs, questions and investigations were met and supported with a great enthusiasm and devotion. Besides my creative process I also enjoyed the activities that were organized as a part of the residency program; visits at local workshops, collections and artists studios.
Taking into account all components: the working space, location, atmosphere, program and production support, I have to say that the AiR 351 was, so far, my best a-i-r experience.
I believe that the connections I made during my residency will bring new professional opportunities and there will be a chance to present the results of my work in Lisbon in the next year.

My residency at AIR351 happened in a moment of my life when I needed to conduct some research on the recent Portuguese colonial war. 
AIR351’s team welcomed me with outstanding generosity and support for contacting people and places. 
It’s location, outside of the big city allowed me to be more focus and the effervescence of the opening day showed the interest people have in such an initiative. 
Finally, a curator’s residency is such a rare possibility that I encourage my colleagues to apply to it because it is also a great opportunity to be introduced to the Portuguese art scene and its relationship with its former colonies.

From beginning of residency period, I was perfectly guided to find place to stay and informed how to supply my logistic needs by the residency management who are Luis Campos e Cunha, Luisa Especial and Heitor Fonseca.
I found the chance of interacting with the other residents in the whole residency. In my term, the current artists were Michael John Whelan (Berlin), Gabriel Machado (Rio de Janeiro), Annabelle Moreau (Sicily), Henrique Pavao (Lisbon), Katarína Poliačiková (Slovakia), Nidaa Aboulhosn (US). I also interacted with former residents who are Luisa Jacinto and Sara Bichão.
In May, the busiest art month of Lisbon, I have joined several planned art event trips by Luis Campos e Cunha and Luisa Especial, such as FEA Lisboa, ARCO Fair, EDP Artist Awards and I was introduced to art professionals in Lisbon.
I participated to the Open Studio 2019 AIR 351 in 7th of June with my work in progress (Terrarian, 2019) and big scale work proposal maquettes (Sky Passage, 2019). I have met great number of art professionals and artists in international and local scale in that event. (…)
After all those developments, I am happy to say that I decided to be an artist based Lisbon for this term of my life. (…) Particularly I am thankful to all AIR 351 family for they have shown great effort to make all these opportunities available for me and gave me this encouragement to create the circle to engage with the professionals around them generously.

(…) The four months I spent at AIR351 was deeply stimulating and productive.
My overwhelmingly positive experience in Portugal is thanks to the kindness, diligence and curiosity of spirt at AIR351. Luisa Especial, the co-director of AIR351 arranged meetings, pursued research inquiries on my behalf and in general engaged in my artistic practice through regular studio visits and meetings. She introduced me to artists and kept me up to date on cultural events in Lisbon. In addition, she accompanied me to meetings when translation was needed.
I have participated in numerous international residency programs in the past twenty years and my experience at AIR351 has been by far the most productive, inspiring and well-intentioned. The FLAD fellowship enabled me to develop my work and make new connections with the artistic community in Lisbon. I know I will continue to reap the benefits of this fellowship in the years to come.