We are crowdfunding to purchase this land, and bring The Rural School of Arts & The People’s Forest to life
We are crowdfunding to purchase this land, and bring The Rural School of Arts & The People’s Forest to life
Overview
By April 2026 we are looking to raise
£520,000 (We have raised 20% of this amount so far and part of this has been paid as an initial deposit securing the land from being presented to developers ) The acquisition will bring into collective guardianship 24 hectares of wild land, saving it from being turned into an industrial farming landscape, and providing a home for the school as The People’s forest. Once bought the land will be held in trust by an Association not to be sold again.Creating a legacy project for the area. You can read more about this in the governance pack below.
We are then looking to raise
£400,000 to commence the Living Crafts programme of The Rural School of Arts and build initial guest spaces for the school
There are many ways to support this project
To support the raise, we have created a range of experiences and a collection of artworks
You can make a donation; buy an experience, artwork or piece of furniture, Invest through Sponsorships. We are open to create Partnerships, with aligned individuals and organisations who would like to see the vision flourish.
Make a donation small or large through our crowdfunder
Donations
All donations will be received by ILha ltd 16577859, a not-for-profit company registered in England and Wales, established in service to the vision of the Rural School of Arts & The People’s Forest. We are currently in the process of setting up a Portuguese Association to parter with the UK company. All amounts received are in service of the vision. In the event that we are not able to reach our target by Spring 2026, all donors will have the choice on whether their donation is returned to them, or used to create the Rural School of Arts in a new iteration.
Donations can be made
directly here
Purchase a piece with our special collection for the Raise
Join us as a resident maker
Sponsor a guest house
Contribute £60K and support the Living Crafts Program to build a guest house.
Benefits
Your name permanently associated with the space, opportunities for future stay packages and an illustrated site map. Be in touch with us to explore possibilities.
Experiences
Join us for a wildland camp, Land Myth and Stone Residency, Cycle of Land and Sky programme.
Founding Stewards
Become part of our creative community of Founding Stewards
Become a Key Stone Donor
Contribute £50K and become a Key Stone Donor
Benefits
You will be invited to witness milestone moments in the project's history, ensuring you are part of this journey every step of the way.
You will receive an artist illustrated site map and a SASA works furniture piece.
Supporters
How these initial funds will be used
Year one expenditure
Year 1 (2026)
Total: £731,000
Land Acquisition€500,000 Remaining amount needed to buy the land (April 2026)
Guest Space Build: Materials + Teaching £100,000 Elemental guest space construction beginning of Living Crafts programme teaching fees
Specialist Design & Build £20,000 Design & specialist construction time
Culinary / Soil-to-Soul Program£10,000 Chef catering, herb garden planting, soil-to-soul program
Infrastructure £30,000 Water storage, paths, access, equipment
Ecological Stewardship £20,000 Lower scrub clearance
Marketing & Storytelling £5,000 Early brand development
Sacred Route Mapping £5,000 Mapping sacred experience trails
Videography. £5,000 Filming workshops & programs
Renewable Energy Systems £36,000 Off-grid sustainable infrastructure
Year two Expenditure
Year 2 (2027)
Total: £169,000
Ecological Stewardship £15,000 Lower scrub clearance
Cultural Integration £25,000 Village cultural programme and harvest celebrations
Living Craft Teaching Programme. £48,000 Specialist teachers: stonemasons, carpenters, craft masters
Main Learning House Materials £38,000 Materials for teaching house rebuild
Specialist Design & Build £23,000 Design and guest space build time
Marketing £5,000 Outreach & brand growth
Videography £5,000 Documentation
Culinary / Soil-to-Soul £10,000 Chef + craft food programme
This region in Portugal currently has a unique pastoral landscape and stands at a threshold of change. The land prices in this part of Portugal have hugely increased in the last 3 years, because of its fertile soils, micro climate and access to water. As a result the price of land is now favouring industrial farming investors. Or large scale solar projects led by oil companies.
In the region developers are valuing land at 35 Thousand Euros per hectare. We were able to negotiate a lower price of 25 Thousand per hectare. The land measures 24 hectares, including, two ruins with licences, water wells a river and a range of habitats, from rocky outcrops, native forest, of cork oak, oak and ash to flat pasture land.
context to land prices
I have donated to this project:
“because it is a unique possibility to save an ancient landscape”