At Sacatar, 2026 started with a bang! In January, our Fellows had a big impact on the art scene across Itaparica and Salvador through a series of presentations, performances, and encounters that reflected the depth and diversity of their residency processes.

At Sacatar’s Open Studios, Virus Carinhoso premiered Ensaio de um Voo, a performance in collaboration with local musicians that included a song composed during his residency. Omid Asadi presented a new video work, weaving together the current turmoil in Iran with the spiritual landscape of Itaparica. Juliana Correia led a moving storytelling session, and, at Rita GT’s invitation, the Cantadeiras do Vale do Neiva, from Portugal, transformed Open Studios into a lively musical gathering.

That same week, the Fellows’ work continued beyond Sacatar’s grounds. The Cantadeiras do Vale do Neiva also performed at the Museu Carlos Costa Pinto, in Salvador. For some members of the collective, this marked their first time ever leaving Portugal, making the occasion especially significant. Juliana Correia launched her book Malungos e Outras Histórias (Editora Letramento) at Sarau Bem Black, the slam poetry event curated by Nelson Maca (himself a Sacatar Fellow, from 2022).

The series of events culminated at the Museu de Arte da Bahia, where Rita GT presented a performance bringing together the Cantadeiras do Vale do Neiva and Cantadeira Ohún Obirin, a singing group of women from an Egun terreiro in Itaparica. The work was a once-in-a-lifetime meeting of traditions, voices, and ancestral knowledge.

These are the kinds of encounters that residencies make possible.

Together, these moments reflect how Sacatar supports artists not only in developing their practices, but also in building meaningful relationships with local contexts, communities, and institutions.