The talks, exhibitions, meals, concerts, and readings organized by TEJA and in collaboration with different spaces and institutions are a key element of the experience for the creators participating in the residencies. They also serve as spaces for dialogue, ensuring freedom of expression regarding the conflicts or emergency situations faced by the creators in residence or those affecting the territories they come from.
Last Thursday, April 23rd, we gathered at Casabanchel to enjoy a quiet evening and great conversation. It was a true pleasure to share a meal with our residents and the team!
Last Tuesday, April 21st, residents Mohamed Bakri and Abboud Abu Tair took part in a cultural immersion activity at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid. The day featured a guided tour of the center and attendance at an artistic performance, fostering a dialogue between the creators and some of the capital’s most iconic cultural spaces. Special thanks to Isabella Lenzi for the visit!
There is something about a late-night work session that really gets the ideas flowing. Last Tuesday, we wrapped up the day at El Local, sharing a table and common goals with fellow photographers.
The TEJA network organized the “Art x Palestine” charity raffle, an initiative where 100% of the proceeds were donated to its mobility program for artists in emergency contexts.
The five raffle boxes featured works and items from artists linked to the network, including Shada Safadi, Lara Salous, Sabreen Haj Ahmad, Shayma Hamad, Daniela Ortiz, and Dora García, among others. This action not only raised critical funds but also highlighted the work of creators who have participated in their residency programs.
The TEJA network annual meeting strengthened the organization’s internal structure and strategies for protecting creative freedom. A key highlight was the presentation of portfolios by Mohamed Bakri and Abboud Abu Tair, bridging operational management with the artistic power of their residents. The event reaffirmed the network’s commitment as a resilient engine for providing both human and professional support in emergency contexts.
On April 16, Teatro del Barrio hosted a sold-out solidarity event by the TEJA network to support artists in emergency contexts. Featuring performances by Le Parody, Guadalupe Sideral, and findPeaks, the evening also served as the official introduction of the network’s five new residents.
Thanks to the commitment of both artists and the audience, 100% of the proceeds will go directly to mobility programs for creators in critical situations, reaffirming art as a powerful tool for resistance and social change.
On April 10th, we had the pleasure of visiting the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum alongside residents Mohamed Bakri and Abboud Abu Tair. It was a day of necessary contrasts: ranging from deep reflection at TBA21 with the exhibition “Pedagogies of War” by Ukrainian artists Roman Khimei and Yarema Malashchuk, to a historical journey through the museum’s permanent collection.
Last Tuesday marked the start of our 2026 Emergency Residency Program with several inaugural activities:
Welcome breakfast with the residents, their companions, and the TEJA team.
First walk through the streets of Madrid.
Visit to La Casa Encendida.
Visit to the Paisanaje team at Infinito Delicias.
Is architecture a sanctuary or a surveillance tool? Artist Mahmoud Alhaj dissects power structures and territorial control in his new exhibition at Nave Oporto (25 Pedro Díez Ave., Ground Floor Left). On view until April 1st!
TEJA Network: Hospitality and solidarity to challenge the silence of contemporary art
In our recent participation at ARCO, we reaffirmed TEJA’s commitment to contemporary art as a tool for resistance. In a challenging global context, we maintain that art cannot afford to remain silent; our mission focuses on building tangible support networks and protective spaces for creative practice.
We would like to thank all those who joined us for their time and active listening.
Roundtable featuring:
Amelie Aranguren (Paisanaje)
María Tolmos (Nave Oporto)
Xavier de Luca (Jiser)
Manuela Otero
On November 29th, we gathered for a collective act of remembrance, resistance, and solidarity with cultural workers from L’Internationale, colleagues from the TEJA network, and allies from across the cultural ecosystem. We joined the voices rising up from cities around the world, filled with rage, sadness, and indignation, demanding an end to the genocide. We reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s right to peace, justice, and existence in their territory, and we firmly opposed the international impunity that sustains this violence.
Every day we reaffirm the importance of the cultural sector not remaining silent: our institutions, our practices, and our bodies are also spaces of political resistance. We will continue creating, denouncing, and organizing until Palestinian freedom and dignity become a reality.
We participated in “Art Beyond Fire: Encounters on Art and Risk,” organized by Moving Artists in Bilbao. The program brought together artists, researchers, and cultural agents from within and outside Spain to discuss the role of art in contexts of violence.
We took part in the discussion “Does Art Make Sense in Times of Conflict?” alongside Ixone Sádaba, Manuela Otero, and Marie Le Sourd. The day continued with a conversation between our artist-in-residence, Shaima Sheikh Ali, and the Kurdish artist Tara Abdullah, where they shared their experiences creating from vulnerability and resistance.
The event opened a space to reflect on the political power of voice, memory, and creation: how art continues to be a place of dialogue and hope in the face of barbarity.
Artist-in-residence Sabreen Haj Ahmad led a workshop at La Casa Encendida focused on her research into the sustainable relationship between humans and nature. Through the story of Siena, a lamb who guides children through the tradition of transhumance, participants learned about local edible plants and the role of seasonal migration in biodiversity. The workshop combined reading the story with a creative activity in which they designed the book’s cover, connecting imagination, knowledge of Mediterranean wild plants, and the value of traditional practices.
Our artist-in-residence, Shaima Sheikh Ali, organized a workshop conceived as a social experiment, inviting participants to share their personal reflections and creative responses to the idea of censorship. Through this workshop, she sought to combine her own perspective with that of the Basque public, generating a dialogue that transcends cultural and social contexts.
The participants’ reflections and artistic contributions will form part of Shaima’s final installation in Bilbao, integrating with her own works and vision to create a collective proposal enriched by diverse perspectives.
We had the opportunity to take our artists-in-residence, Sabreen Haj Ahmad and Shaima Sheikh Ali, to La Escocesa and introduce them to other members of our network. La Escocesa, our first member in Barcelona, is a public center for contemporary art residencies and production, collectively managed by the Associació d’Idees EMA. Its work focuses on supporting artists and cultural agents at all stages of their careers, offering studios and workshops for over 30 residents, as well as a free public program that includes events, training, and open calls.
