Baroque Blue Art & Nature Residency 2026 (5th Edition)
Theme: The Nachiri Routes: Biodiversity and Landscape
Curated by Dores Sacquegna
Torre Dell’Orso, Lecce Puglia, Italy
September 19 – October 3, 2026
Primo Piano invites you to join the fifth edition of its Baroque Blue Art & Nature Residency, an intimate gathering shaped by creation, reflection, and connection. Set along the luminous coastline of TORRE DELL’ORSO, where the sea is not just a view but a presence, this residency unfolds as a space to listen more deeply—to your practice, to others, and to the quiet stories held by the landscape.
ANCIENT LEGENDS describe Salento as a peninsula beyond time and space. Anyone who has traveled there can attest that one leaves the hustle and bustle of the world behind and enters a different dimension. As temples of transformation reemerge across the planet, the Mysteries of Salento call us to welcome awakening souls.
The September residency theme is a continuation of the June theme. If in June the sailors looked at the stars to orient themselves by land and sea, in September they would follow the land routes, also descending into the underground cities, where long tunnels took sailors to the sea during the Saracen attacks. These places are keeping the memory of people’s resilience and the green gold of Salento.
It will be a journey into the bowels of the earth, starting from the hypogea and continuing on the surface, where olive trees – with the most extravagant shapes acting as solitary guardians of an ancient time. This retreat will uncover the connection between Greek myth and culture, between history and legend, between cosmic caves and archetypes in the game of life and possibilities.
BAROQUE BLUE runs from Sep 19 to Oct 3 in Torre dell’Orso, Terra d’Otranto – known as the pearl of the south at an ocean called ‘The Caribbean of Salento’ in Italy. The Marina is on the Adriatic coast with a sandy bay close to many paradise landscapes. The curatorial project led by art director Dores Sacquegna will include a final exhibition of the works created during the residency in the garden of the MAIN VILLA.
Basic materials and equipment for working on site with painting, collage, drawing, installations, video, etc. are provided. The art retreat will also include an immersive 2-3 day papier-mâché workshop led by Italian teacher Silvia Mangia. You will learn the secrets of this ancient and fascinating paper sculpture technique, typical of the Salento region in Southern Italy. Our spiritual guide Maria Maddalena Armenise will facilitate Yoga and Sacred Feminine sessions, including the final ceremony. Primo Piano offers artists moments of relaxation by engaging professionals in the fields of music, theatre, dance, and performance. Meeting and dialogue with Apulian artists are part of the program.
After completing the two weeks journey, the artists will be ready to set up and exhibit their works and will be awarded with a Certificate of Recognition. A web-page with artists’ biography and works will be posted on the network page of the Baroque Blue website.
COME, poets, artists, musicians, creators of all kinds. COME, adventurers, lovers of mysteries, rebels, misfits and catalysts for change, activists of the sacred awakening. COME, dreamers of the new culture. COME, those committed to awakening, to leadership. COME, unfold your love, gifts, and power within the body of the soul community. YOU are the leadership of the New Dawn. This is an invitation to travel into the unknown, like Aeneas who, fleeing Troy, reaches the shores of Salento and prays before the temple of Athena in Castro. We travel into the unmapped territories of our peninsula, and you’ll be part of an unforgettable journey!
Like ancient Nachiri (sailors), You will embark on your journey following the routes that will lead them to discover your true Self. A sacred and profound journey to honour your roots and discover who you have been and who you are ready to become.
What We Offer
- Accommodation in the marina of Torre dell’Orso
- A nurturing environment for artistic research and creation
- Curatorial guidance and mentorship
- Opportunities for dialogue and collaboration
- Immersion in local culture, food, and rhythms of life
- Materials/art stuff to work on site.
- Guided tours by land and by boat.
- Village explorations.
- Exceptional dinners with regional wines.
- Papier-mâché workshop.
- Yoga sessions.
- Final exhibition during residency.
- Prizes Details: All the best works created during the residency will be displayed in the coming months in a Contemporary Art Foundation in Lecce.
See national and international artist testimonials:
https://baroqueblueresidency.com/en/feedback/
We have 8 spots available and the application deadline is July 30th.
To learn more: primopianoexhibition01@gmail.com or primopianorecidency@gmail.com
See video promo here
