Guided by the artist’s vision, the participants of Floresta Cultural are taken on a journey through lava forest trails, inviting them to interact with, or get immersed by art, science, and nature.
The resident artists that inhabit the volcanic lands of Floresta Cultural create and present music, cinematic, and performing arts experiences to the public.
Watch a movie at Cine-Mistérios, the forest micro-cinema; interact with a video projection at Quimera; get hypnotised by color, light, and sound via the multimedia experience of The Memories of Laura Silva.
Our Mission
A space that fosters artistic experimentation in nature, through the use of technology, Floresta Cultural is a place for creating and exhibiting site-specific experiences and is dedicated to researching sustainable modes of exhibition for Azorean-based, professional artists.
Here, the forest becomes both studio and stage, showcasing material and immaterial projects. Research, critical thinking, and sharing of knowledge are promoted, focusing on contemporary themes and issues, such as the human relationship with nature and technology, with a view toward the future of coming generations.
Historic Location
The exhibition space of Floresta Cultural is a network of walking trails situated on a lava flow that erupted between 700 and 1,000 years ago — located in Calhetas, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel.
In this landscape forest clusters mix with lava rock fields creating a volcanic forest. Along these trails, visitors will find the remnants of vineyards that extend across the dimension of 15 hectares.
Our Team
Elliot Sheedy
Artistic & Technical Director
Elliot is a musician, artist, and filmmaker with a deep background in immersive world creation.
He is on a quest to activate all of the hidden spaces within the domain of Floresta Cultural.
Sofia Caetano
Artistic & Executive Director
Sofia is an interdisciplinary artist with an entrepreneurial mind who is driven by experimentation..
She is on a quest to discover the identity of each one of the live beings that are found on Floresta Cultural’s trails.
Daniela Medeiros
Communications Director
Daniela lives and works between the worlds of communication, writing and acting.
At Floresta Cultural, she seeks to lure you in, as she listens to what wanders beneath and above the surface, weaving stories, voices, and invisible threads into something that can be felt, shared, and remembered.
Catarina Rego Martins
Graphic Designer
Catarina is a graphic designer translating daily life into visual communication.
At Floresta Cultural, she crafts a cohesive and thoughtful graphic presence.
Maria Furtado Silva
Volunteer
Maria is a filmmaker and cinematographer with a passion for bringing imaginary worlds to reality and setting a light on meaningful stories.
She is on a quest to explore all the magical colours and sounds breathing within the living ecosystem of Floresta Cultural.
Julia Garcia
Visual Identity
Júlia Garcia é designer gráfica e trabalha identidades visuais com foco em conceito, sistema e narrativa.
Na Floresta Cultural, explora a ligação entre natureza e cultura, criando uma linguagem visual que emerge do ecossistema e acompanha o ritmo do lugar.