Focus Block: Application
To encourage economic growth and the introduction of new methods, ideas, or products, innovation hubs across Portugal bring together: researchers or research teams, individuals who have or are establishing a business or businesses (entrepreneurs), new companies built for rapid and high growth (startups), individuals and organizations that provide financial capital to new companies in exchange for equity or ownership stake (investors), worldwide technology corporations, and government bodies.
Focus Block:, a two-week long, semi-public work session held beneath the reinforced concrete hopper silos at the Beato Innovation District, provides five professional and semi-professional visual artists with the opportunity to practice at a venue that emphasizes their role as entrepreneurs in the cultural industry.
Beginning at 11h on the morning of Monday, September 14th, visitors are invited to enter into the space beneath the silos and to respectfully engage with the studios and the work, understanding that the artists are in-office. Focus Block: is also the starting title of the group exhibition that the artists are asked to develop as they produce—meaning that, by Wednesday, an exhibition is already being planned.
Focus Block: will remain open daily from 11h to 20h through the 25th. The exhibition closing will be held on the 25th from 20h to 23h.
Not only does Focus Block: direct the participating self-employed artists toward resources marketed to entrepreneurs, such as free business consulting through New Business LE+, its aim is to set them up to be considered fit for peer-to-artist funding by angel investors and accelerators—potential income that would be supplemental to the public and private grants that the cultural sector has traditionally relied upon.
