The Côa - Corridor of Arts land art festival celebrates the cultural heritage of the Greater Côa Valley in northern Portugal, which has existed since prehistory, when people first began to engrave the creatures that lived in that region on rock. These engravings of aurochs, horses and other wild animals illustrate that man has always admired nature. The Greater Côa Valley is a natural wildlife corridor, which from that time until today maintains its appeal as a site rich in biodiversity and diverse landscapes.
The Côa - Corridor of Arts festival seeks to connect artists with communities in a natural environment, the Greater Côa Valley, to co-create works of art that will mark the landscape. Using natural materials (e.g. wood, stone, water, etc.), and respecting their natural decay, they will be integrated naturally into the landscape evolution process.
The first event will be held in the summer of 2023. The event will have a mobile format, taking place in three to five different sections of the Greater Côa Valley on consecutive weekends. The event concentrates artistic programming close to cities and towns and will have an artistic programme and itinerary to be visited along the Grand Route of the Côa Valley.
The event will feature an exhibition of 6 to 8 works of art that will remain in place and that will be conceptualised and built by an artist with the involvement of a community. The goal is to create a museum of contemporary art outdoors and along the Greater Côa Valley to be visited at a slow and respectful pace, in line with the rhythms of nature.
This is a call to contemporary artists and makers who are interested in being in residence in the Greater Côa Valley. Residencies of between four and six weeks will explore and celebrate, through co-creation with local communities, the link between nature and art, celebrating the long cultural heritage of the Greater Côa Valley. An award of 4000 EUR accompanies each residency, covering the residency costs and creation of the pieces, with additional financial support available to cover the artist’s travel and accommodation costs.
The festival particularly welcomes proposals from interdisciplinary artists whose practice transgresses the boundaries between disciplines and/or those with experience of site-specific, interactive, or socially engaged work.
