We are looking to raise £500,000 to seed two visions side by side;
The Rural School of Arts and The People’s Forest
The Peoples Forest - the funds will be used to bring 24 hectares of wild land into collective guardianship saving the land from being turned into an industrial farming landscape.
The Rural School of Arts - the funds will be used to commence work on the guest houses for the School
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Dreamers
An invitation to dream with us through donations large or small. These dreams will spread the sense of love and possibility of the work.
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Seeds
An invitation to be a seed with a donation amount of £200. At this amount we need 2500 seeds to sprout the vision.
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Partnerships
We welcome partnerships from individuals or organisations that align with our values and would like to see the vision flourish.
How this is possible
2500 people make a £200 seed donation
5000 people make a £100 seed donation
10,000 people make a £50 seed donation
Every generous donor reduces the number of seeds required.
The original target was £600,000.
In July 2025, 44 donors and a UK based Foundation supported the raise of a 12% deposit to secure the land from being presented to developers. We now have until Spring 2026 to raise the rest
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.
How the £500,000 funding will be used
600,000 Euros will be used to buy the land ( we already have raised 90,000). This is the amount that we need urgently by Spring 2026
The remaining amount will be used to begin renovations on the ruin that will become the learning house of the School.
context
All donations will be received by ILha ltd 16577859, a non-for-profit company registered in England and Wales established in service to the vision of the Rural School of Arts & The People’s Forest. All amounts received are in service of the vision. We are currently in the process of setting up a Portuguese Association to parter with the UK company.
If we are not able to make the total number of donations required to buy the land by spring 2026. All donors will have the choice to either have their money returned or to use the funds to create another version of the Rural School of Arts
donations
Use the donate form or the bank details below
MAKE A DONATION
Donate directly and avoid fees
DONATIONS in pounds
Business account: Ilha Ltd
Sort code 23-08-01
Account number 99558781
IBAN GB46 TRWI 2308 0199558781
Bank name Wise Payments Limited
1st Floor Worship Square
65 Clifton Street
London
EC2A 4JE
DONATIONS in Euros
Business account : Ilha Ltd
IBAN BE10 9055 26360504
Swift/BIC TRWIBEB1XXX
Bank name Wise
Rue du Trône 100, 3rd floor
Brussels
1050
Belgium
“Planting small seeds of beauty is a powerful force”
Contact : ilhaandus@protonmail.com
WHAT THE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR
Year one expenditure
Year 1 (2026)
Total: €733,000
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 €38,000 Off-grid sustainable infrastructure
Year two Expenditure
Year 2 (2027)
Total: €175,000
Ecological Stewardship €15,000 Lower scrub clearance
Cultural Integration€25,000 Village cultural programme and harvest celebrations
Living Craft Teaching Programme. €60,000. Specialist teachers: stonemasons, carpenters, craft masters
Main Learning House Materials €40,000 Materials for teaching house rebuild
Specialist Design & Build €25,000 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