The program began with a welcoming session at the Centro de Estudos Arnaldo Araújo – Escola Superior Artística do Porto (CEAA–ESAP). This was followed by presentations of recent Ecologies of Care and Extreme Sites projects that aimed to foster knowledge exchange among EoC members and local researchers. In the afternoon, participants joined a walk through Porto that culminated with a visit to the Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade do Porto (FBAUP) guided by Tiago Assis who presented criticism of the institutional’s colonial legacy. The programme continued with a publilc lecture by Elke Krasny entitled Feminist Infrastructural Critique, which emphasized how practices of care can shape and challenge harmed environments. The day concluded with a communal dinner at Mamuila Filó, reinforcing the role of shared meals in nurturing collective learning.

On the second day, the programme took place at Matosinhos near Porto. The theme was Infrastructural Encounters: Staying with the Trouble inspired by Donna Haraway’s call to remain engaged with complex issues. Participants visited Álvaro Siza Vieira’s Tea House Boa Nova and the Tidal Pool. This was followed by a walk along the Atlantic shore toward former Matosinhos refinery. After lunch at Grupo Desportivo Aldeia Nova, the group played Refinery Board, a curatorial board game addressing the politics of dismantlement and decarbonization of Matosinhos refinery. The day ended with a visit to Casa da Imagem, led by Inês Azevedo, connecting visual culture and situated activities.

The focus on the last day was alternative curatorial practices. The day began with a discussion with members of Bikini Books and Parábola Crítica, followed by lunch at Bikini Books. In the afternoon, participants joined the Porto Feminist Tour organized by the MAAD collective. The programme concluded with a closing dinner at the Afurada Fishermen Village, grounding the experience in a local social and ecological context.

Together, the events that took place during the gathering framed care as both a method and an ethic that fosters rich dialogues around space, memory, and transformation.

Photographs by: Ines Moreira, Olga Marinho, Joana Couto, Sofia Boito, Lais Andrade, and Beatriz Duarte