Creative hub · Artist residency · Portugal
ORTO is a creative hub in the quiet village of Fornelo, 30 minutes from Porto and 15 minutes from the Atlantic coast. Set in a historic farmstead surrounded by nature, it brings together a countryside house, restored agricultural buildings, a central courtyard and a permaculture garden.
The name ORTO comes from a Latin expression “rebirth of a star”. It reflects the idea at the heart of the project: a place for renewal, new perspectives and unexpected encounters.
ORTO welcomes people working across art, design, architecture, writing, music, philosophy, science and ecology. It is a small, informal environment where different practices can meet and evolve together.
Life here follows a slower rhythm. Shared meals, time in the garden and spontaneous conversations are as important as studio work. We hope residents leave with new ideas, meaningful connections and a desire to return.
We want ORTO to be a place people carry with them, and return to. By bringing former residents, visitors and collaborators together, we are building a growing community connected across places and disciplines.
For us, sustainability is also about relationships: taking care of the connections that allow ideas, friendships and collaborations to continue.
ORTO creates space for experimentation, reflection and exchange between creative practice, philosophy, science and ecological living.
The gardens, orchards and animals are part of everyday life here. Nature is more than a backdrop: it becomes a source of knowledge and a way of seeing differently.
In 2025 and 2026, ORTO welcomed residents from more than 20 countries, including visual and textile artists, installation artists, musicians, performers and writers. The residency offers time and space to develop a project, experiment with new ideas or simply see where curiosity leads.
Throughout the residency season, we organise open studios where residents can share their work and creative process with fellow artists, the local community and our neighbours.
ORTO occupies two adjoining rural houses and a restored farmstead. The residency wing has six bedrooms and shared facilities, while the main house contains a communal kitchen and dining room—the centre of daily life.
The courtyard offers sunny and shaded areas for working, resting and gathering. Surrounded by plants, it becomes a natural meeting place for conversations, long dinners and warm summer evenings. A traditional water tank provides a refreshing place to cool down.
Residents have access to a flexible 40 m² open-air studio and smaller spaces for painting, textiles, music and other practices. There is also a wood and metal workshop with essential tools.
Gardens, orchards and outdoor areas extend the working space beyond the studios and invite residents to connect with the rhythms of the land.
Throughout the year, ORTO hosts workshops, talks, artistic gatherings, retreats, open studios, yoga sessions and collaborative activities. Some events are practical and hands-on; others create space to listen, exchange ideas or experience the work of visiting artists and thinkers.
Special dinners and informal gatherings bring people together around the table. Whether lasting a few hours or several days, each event is an invitation to slow down, meet others and discover something unexpected.
