Reimagining Rural Futures
June brings us not only the warmth of the season, but also international collaborations, institutional recognition, and new opportunities to deepen ongoing work with the community of Torrão!
With summer comes the sowing of new seeds, of collaboration, recognition, and continuity. June arrives as a fertile month, shaped by international encounters, art in motion, and a growing, thriving community.
From welcoming architecture students from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University to spotlighting Torrão LAB at the National APDR Congress, and from celebrating the artistic and ecological value of the Xarrama River to forging new partnerships with national cultural institutions, we continue to chart, step by step, our commitment to the regeneration of rural territories.
2nd International Residency with Students from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
From 17 to 27 June, we will host a group of students from Universidade Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool (XJTLU), accompanied by Professor Jess Yu, for a new academic residency in Torrão. During their stay, students will develop territorial, architectural and regeneration projects based on participatory methods.
A highlight of this residency will be a seminar on “Utopian Cities”, featuring architect Phil Hawes, a pioneer in sustainable architecture and intentional communities, along with Professor Jess Yu (XJTLU) and Professor António Ricardo Costa (Instituto Superior Técnico). The seminar will explore alternative models of urbanism and territorial regeneration, drawing connections between international experiences and local practices. Using Torrão as a case study, it will examine the role of architecture, planning, and community engagement in building fairer, more sustainable and liveable rural futures.
Participation in the 32nd APDR Congress
Reimagining Rural Futures
The Torrão LAB project will be presented at the 32.º Congresso da Associação Portuguesa para o Desenvolvimento Regional (APDR), taking place on 10 and 11 July in Porto, under the title: “Reimagining Rural Futures: Conservation and Regeneration through Torrão LAB”. This talk will showcase Torrão LAB as a practical example of integrated rural regeneration, combining ecological conservation, heritage enhancement, urban rehabilitation, and community involvement. The acceptance of our abstract reflects academic recognition of the work being carried out in Torrão and opens the door to future partnerships and collaborations.
Adopting and Protecting the Xarrama River
Following the WalkingRivers walk on 17 May, Convento da Terra is preparing to officially join the Projeto RIOS, coordinated by ASPEA – Portuguese Association for Environmental Education. This citizen science project encourages local groups to adopt and monitor 500-metre sections of rivers, promoting environmental education, civic responsibility, and ecological restoration of riparian ecosystems. We invite the community to take part in the Xarrama monitoring group. The second walk and monitoring action is scheduled for early autumn (date to be confirmed). Join us in becoming a guardian of our river.
Community Co-Creation: “Ártemis” Exhibited in Arraiolos
The piece “Ártemis”, co-created with the local community during Susana Cereja’s first artistic residency in Torrão in November 2023, has been selected for inclusion in the exhibition CASA DE PARTIDA, opening on 7 June in Arraiolos. This invitation is part of the broader project “Ponto (In)Visível”, a series of community-based art residencies developed by the artist to explore Arraiolos embroidery as a contemporary artistic language. After returning to Torrão in April for a second residency, where she worked again with community members, Susana now continues the next phase of the project. The work developed in Torrão will be shown as part of the exhibition and will also feature in a documentary, giving voice and visibility to the people, skills, and relationships that made it all possible.
Theatre Workshop in Torrão with Teatro Nacional D. Maria II
We were delighted to receive the invitation to join the Theatre Workshop project, promoted by Teatro Nacional D. Maria II (TNDM II) and the Portuguese National Arts Plan (PNA), in partnership with the Municipality of Alcácer do Sal and the Torrão School Group. Although, still under discussion, the proposal foresees the creation of youth theatre groups in local schools, with regular activities planned throughout the 2025/2026 academic year. In addition to weekly sessions with a resident artist, the project aims to strengthen the link between culture and education by encouraging communication skills, creativity, teamwork and connection with local cultural heritage.
