We are pleased to share a personal project by one of our artists, Craig Bamford of SASA Works, currently taking shape in Portugal.
In June 2025, Craig and collaborators learned that 24 hectares of wild land were being prepared for sale, with the potential to be developed into intensive farmland or a solar site. Recognising the ecological and cultural value of the landscape, they felt called to imagine an alternative future for the land.
That vision has become the Rural School of Arts, a place for land-based learning, craft, and holistic approaches to health and creativity. The school is envisioned as part of a wider “People’s Forest,” offering space for local communities and international visitors alike to connect with the land, learn its stories, and engage in practices that support both human and environmental wellbeing.
The project brings together disciplines spanning art, cinema, architecture, and craft, exploring themes of time, presence, and our relationship with nature. It will also reflect Craig’s 30 years of experience working across wood, metal, and holistic architectural design, forming a living expression of his practice.
SASA Works, Craig’s studio, is known for creating objects and spaces using locally sourced and reclaimed materials to craft pieces that hold both spiritual and elemental qualities. This same ethos sits at the heart of the Rural School of Arts.
The project is currently being supported through Crowdfunder, with donations helping to secure the land and bring the vision to life. There are also opportunities to get involved, with various tiers of support, future workshops, and community participation planned as the project develops.
You can explore more about the project, view images, and find details on funding, pricing, and opportunities to take part here. A shop is now live with works of art available as well as opportunities, experiences and options for direct donations, with all proceeds going toward the initiative.
Follow the journey on their Instagram .
We’re excited to see this vision grow and evolve in the years to come.
