With the emergence of large shopping centres on the outskirts of the city, most of the shops in the first-generation malls have been left abandoned and fallen into oblivion. Taking this urban problem as a starting point, Braga 25 is presenting the Shopyard project to energise the Santa Cruz shopping centre through a series of artistic residenciesthat will culminate in a final exhibition, showing that culture can be one of the solutions for these spaces.

Aimed at artists and creatives, individually or collectively, born or resident in the municipality of Braga and working in the areas of fine arts, architecture, and design, the ‘Shopyard Artist Residencies’ open call is looking for five artistic proposals that look at the challenges of the contemporary city and dialogue with the specificities of first-generation shopping centres.

During two weeks, the selected projects will have the opportunity to participate in a series of initiatives focusing on two programme axes - reflection and creation - stimulating, debating, and reimagining the possible futures for these shopping centres.

The reflection axis will be developed from the end of 2024 and throughout 2025 through a tour of the city's first-generation shopping centres, three thought assemblies, and an architecture summer school. The creation axis will transform a ground-floor shop in the Santa Cruz shopping centre, which will function as the project's headquarters and a place for creation through workshops and the artistic residencies in this call. This open call has a total budget of €10,000 (ten thousand euros), with €2,000 (two thousand euros) in support per project. 

Learn more about the open call and how to apply at Shopyard Residencies - Braga 25.