Between Territory and Creation: A Trimester of Regeneration in Motion

Regenerating territories begins with regenerating relationships, between people, place and purpose, building a sustainable tomorrow through the convergence of culture, ecology and community.

In the second trimester of 2026, Convento da Terra, through the DaST Foundation, continues to affirm Torrão as a living territory of encounter, where artistic practice, research and community engagement intertwine in an organic, consistent and deeply rooted way. More than a geographical location, Torrão emerges as a space of relationship, where time, memory and contemporary action converge to shape new possibilities for collective existence.

Grounded in the belief that regenerating territories begins with regenerating relationships, between people, place and purpose, the programme unfolding over these months proposes an approach that moves beyond the logic of isolated events. Artistic residencies, co-creation processes, workshops, walks and moments of collective reflection become platforms for listening, sharing and building together, where knowledge is not only transmitted, but lived, experienced and transformed into practice.

Each initiative becomes a point of connection, a gesture that brings community and territory closer, that recovers stories and knowledge, and that activates new forms of belonging. By engaging different generations, disciplines and perspectives, this path reinforces the understanding that a sustainable tomorrow is built through the convergence of culture, ecology and community, within an ongoing relationship of care, responsibility and imagination.

Between the Xarrama River and the AQUI space, between the natural landscape and the place of encounter, between artistic gesture and active community participation, a path unfolds that does not remain confined to the present. A path rooted in the territory, yet in dialogue with global challenges, affirming Torrão as a living laboratory of regeneration, where more conscious, just and sustainable ways of inhabiting the world are explored in real scale.

Artist Residency
Sediment Laboratory
April 14 to 19th 2026

The AQUI space at Convento da Terra hosts the artistic residency Sediment Laboratory, developed by the Guarda-Rios Collective and presented by António Júlio Duarte and Mingyu Wu.

Grounded in the observation of the territory and the invisible layers that compose the landscape, this residency proposes a sensitive exploration of the river, time and memory. Between artistic practice and ecological reflection, the laboratory invites a reading of the territory as a living archive, where sediments are not only physical matter, but also cultural and human traces.

Theatre Workshop + Community Co-criation
"Story of a River"
April 18th 2026

Within the framework of the Theatre Workshop, promoted by Teatro Nacional Dona Maria II in partnership with Convento da Terra, a day dedicated to community co-creation unfolds through the installation and performance Story of a River.

Developed by the participating youth group, this moment reflects a collective process that brings together artistic expression, local identity and shared memory, transforming public space into a meeting point between generations, narratives and lived experiences.

Community Talks
"Conversations That Germinate"
April 19th 2026 | 2nd Edition
June 20th de 2026 | 3rd Edition

Following the impact and strong engagement of its first edition in 2025, the Conversations That Germinate series returns with new sessions dedicated to collective reflection on the contemporary challenges facing territories.

This open dialogue space brings together community members, specialists and diverse participants, fostering active listening and the shared construction of thought around key themes such as regeneration, sustainability and our common future.

Creative Lab
"Memories of the Sado Rice" by Diogo Bento
May 6 to 10th + 27 a 31st + June 17 a 21st | Creative Lab
June 3 to 21st 2026 | Open Studio
June 20th 2026 | Vol. 3 Book Launch

Artist Diogo Bento continues the Memories of the Sado Rice laboratory, deepening an artistic investigation rooted in the landscape, agricultural practices and collective memory of the territory.

Across multiple phases, the laboratory develops creative processes that intersect contemporary art, archival work and sensory experience, culminating in an Open Studio and the launch of Notebook Vol. 3, moments of public sharing that reveal both the process and its unfolding.

Theatre Workshop + Public Presentation
"I Am Also a River"
May 6th & 9th 2026

On 6 May, the AQUI space opens to the community for a day of technical and scenic workshops, fostering collective creation with the youth group of the Theatre Workshop.

In continuity, on 9 May, the group presents the public installation I Am Also a River, an artistic gesture that extends the work developed and reinforces the connection between creation, territory and community expression.

Theatre Workshop + Continuous Community Co-creation
Final Show
May 13, 20, 27th + June 3rd | Workshop
June 11th 2026 | Final Show

The creative process of the Theatre Workshop continues through a series of technical and scenic sessions, leading towards the final performance on 11 June.

More than a final outcome, this journey values the process as a space for learning, experimentation and trust-building, supporting the personal and collective development of the young participants.

Community Walk & Picnic
Walking Rivers 2026 | "For a Living Xarrama"
May 16th 2026

Torrão once again joins the global WalkingRivers 2026 initiative through a community walk along the Xarrama River, accompanied by a moment of gathering and shared experience. More than a physical journey, this walk becomes a collective gesture of listening, presence and reconnection with the territory.

As part of an international movement that spans diverse geographies and cultures, WalkingRivers invites communities worldwide to walk alongside their rivers, recognising them as living systems that sustain biodiversity, memory and territorial identity. It is a call to reconnect people with river ecosystems, fostering a deeper awareness of the interdependence between nature and society.

Within the context of Torrão, the Xarrama River stands as a central element of the landscape and local history, a space where lived experiences, knowledge and intergenerational narratives converge. Along the route, stories and memories from the community will be shared, reinforcing the cultural dimension of the river and its role as a shared heritage.

This initiative forms part of a global network of actions that raise awareness of the urgent need to protect water resources, encouraging practices of care, monitoring and civic engagement. By walking together, participants become part of a broader movement that affirms the essential role of rivers, not only within villages and towns, but in environmental balance and the sustainability of the planet.

More than a walk, WalkingRivers is an invitation to slow down, observe and recognise the profound value of rivers in our lives, reinforcing the collective responsibility to protect and regenerate them for future generations.

Artist Residency
"Arid Skin" by Lin Zhu
June 2 to 14th 2026

The AQUI space hosts the artistic residency Arid Skin by Lin Zhu, an exploration that navigates the relationships between body, landscape and environmental condition.

Through a sensitive and contemporary approach, the artist explores the boundaries between the organic and the arid, proposing new perspectives on adaptation, resilience and transformation within the context of ecological crisis.

Creative Lab
"Memories of the Sado Rice" by Diogo Bento | Workshop Antotipia-Clorotipiano
July 8 to 12th 2026 | Workshop
July 29 to August 2nd 2026 | Lab

Diogo Bento’s laboratory returns with a new phase dedicated to technical experimentation through an anthotype and chlorotype workshop.

This process, using natural materials and the action of sunlight, establishes a direct connection between artistic practice and nature, inviting participants to explore forms of creation that are sustainable, slow and deeply rooted in the territory.