Textile arts residencies
Arraiolos has embroidered wool rugs by hand since the Middle Ages, and the craft is still alive in the town and at CITA, the Arraiolos Rug Interpretation Centre, in the centre of the village. Textile art has been one of the main lines of work of Córtex Frontal since the New Borders embroidery residency in 2021, the Wireless residencies in 2022, the Hypertextile network in 2024 and 2025 and the Textile Summer School.
The textile arts residencies are open to artists working in embroidery, weaving and tapestry, natural dyeing, printing on fabric, tufting and other textile practices, and to visual artists who want to bring textile techniques into their work. Each artist has a studio space with 24-hour access, and the workshop is equipped with an Ashford 8-shaft loom, tapestry looms, a sewing machine and dyeing equipment.
Once a month resident artists join the embroiderers of Arraiolos in a free session at the museum. The programme also includes a visit to the museum, study visits across Alentejo, workshops with invited artists, follow-up by our curator and an open studio at the end of the residency.
Equipment
- Ashford 8-shaft loom
- Tapestry looms, 40 × 60 cm
- Singer Heavy Duty 4411 sewing machine
- Tufting gun
- Tufting frame, 190 × 200 cm
- Dyeing equipment: 4 induction hobs, 12 induction pots, scale, thermometer, tongs, strainers, basins and jugs
Residency 2027
Spring
- 15 March – 11 April4 weeks
- 21 May – 10 June3 weeks
Summer
- 14 June – 11 July4 weeks
- 4 – 24 August3 weeks
Autumn
- 1 – 28 October4 weeks
- 1 – 28 November4 weeks
1,200€ for 4-week periodsResidency periods are fixed.
The residency programme is shared by all disciplines: curatorial follow-up, workshops, study visits and engagement with the community. See the programme and a sample 4-week residency