vision. vistas. viewpoints.
Art Café is a like a work of art. Looking back, we’ve been creating it for over 10 years – but in 2017, a real place and space to match our vision and ambition to become one of the best art facilities and creative spaces for groups who want to visit Portugal and the Lisbon region and experience the joy of a creative spirit, manifested into a tangible reality.
Art Café is a 400 square metre warehouse, transformed into a fully equipped unique studio and gallery space, with a café bar for social entertainment, a fully equipped kitchen for catering and an organic vegetable garden for barbecues on sunny days.
Art Café is positioned in the gentle hills of Malveira, just 20 minutes from Lisbon International airport. We are surrounded by grazing fields, horse paddocks and landscapes of rural Portugual, which makes field trips an easy stroll up or down the hills.
Led by husband and wife team Chris and Terri Radcliffe, Art Café is a friendly skilled team of people, with extensive knowledge of the surrounding area, and passionate about showing visitors the best cultural aspects of our surrounding.
Chris and Terri are an international creative phenomenon. Chris is a product designer and was an art and design teacher at Liverpool University and the Anglo American School in Barcelona, born in Liverpool, England. Terri is a Portuguese born South African – a multi-international award winning graphic designer.
They have worked in the creative industry and arts education for over 25 incredible years, in every media from TV to billboard advertising campaigns through to interior design projects for hotels and retailers.
This experience working in the creative industry and arts education is a base of extraordinary insight, knowledge and understanding of the art industry on a local, national and international level. In addition to their work experience, both Chris and Terri have worked and lived in a number of interesting places around the world, including London and Johannesburg, Barcelona, New York (where they met) and now Lisbon. Art and travel seems to be the perfect coupling.
In 2011, Chris came across an abandoned agricultural warehouse – and saw the potential and persuaded Terri to move in. It was a space to suit their dream – big enough but extra-ordinary enough to become the studio of their dreams.
The empty warehouse took several years of hard work to transform into a place that is both a home and dream made real. A space created to share inspiration.
Art Café is backed by super talented artists, with substantial expertise in drawing and painting, printing, ceramics, textiles, digital art, video and photography. The team is excited to work with everyone from community art clubs to international art schools and groups of professional artists.
Anyone who wants to discover or rediscover their creative soul is welcome.
We’re waiting.
what we love
Improving the world and the lives of people through art and creativity – that’s what truly motivates us.
We offer an open space for like-minded people to meet with others and share their stories, experiences, ideas and skills – and express themselves artistically. Art can be daunting, some never even try because they believe they are ‘not creative.’ Even artists live in constant doubt. We understand and that’s why we love offering ‘a circle of safety for artists and creative minds of all ages and backgrounds.’ Because we can.
Art Café is a rich, inter-cultural, multi-lingual, transdisciplinary experience – all the equipment, all the facilities, all the encouragement, all the excitement, all the passion. Our two faithful Jack Russel dogs, Jackson and Beanie, can’t wait to be part of your still life drawing class. They love it. You’ll love it.
what we want
Learn to be brave by learning to create. Influence change by learning to influence others. At Art Café, we celebrate the power of the unexpected.
Collaboration across disciplines can produce surprising results. We foster a spirit of determination. Only through trial and time can you become master of a craft. We encourage dialogue and debate – between students in our groups and between students and our ‘faculty’ of working professionals and between one another in our team. You could be a group of students studying abroad, or a company of creative professionals looking for a new way to inspire your people.
Art Café is both a resource – and a studio space. We want you to experience the power of unbridled creative energy – and harness it to your dreams.
what you will discover
Why? It’s the first question we ask our parents. It’s a questioning nature and our quest for answers that separates us from the animal kingdom and takes us beyond our imagination into a world of endless possibilities.
There are as many questions as answers; some answers are questionable; often questions go unanswered. Often it’s left up to the artists to keep questioning; to ask more; to question more; to find answers by asking the awkward questions, endlessly.
Remember the forgotten curiosity of a child. Mining the imagination. Discovering your inspiration. We believe art is a powerful and simple answer to life’s often complicated questions. As the expression goes, ‘you draw a solution.’ Creative answers to business problems leads to innovation. New paths. Different perspectives. Unique answers. Rediscovery.
