WOOL 
WOOL | Covilhã Urban Art presented itself in 2011 as the first festival of these expressions of Contemporary Art in Portugal, introducing them as tools capable of promoting social, cultural, economic and/or tourist transformation in a community and territory, specifically in the Interior, aspiring to its growing cohesion, sustainability and a necessary decentralization of Culture.
Through a unique format and way of working, WOOL has used several walls located in the historic center of Covilhã for interventions by various urban artists, with the aim (*) of:
- awaken the community’s interest in culture and contemporary art, especially urban art;
- pay homage to this territory as a way of rediscovering its identity;
- rehabilitating urban areas through art, making it accessible to all, in a clear act of democratizing art;
- involving the community in all interventions and actions, so that they understand them as their own;
- building an art itinerary in the city, promoting occupation and transformation.
(*) Objectives defined in March 2011, in the design of the WOOL project
13 Years _ 2011 > 2024
11 Editions in Covilhã
44 Formats in Portugal and abroad
163 Artistic murals and installations
73 Artistic interventions in Covilhã
58 Portuguese artists
32 Foreign artists
FEATURED PROJECTS
WOOL | Covilhã Urban Art (Portugal – Covilhã, 2011 > …).
LATA 65 | Urban Art Workshops for the Elderly (2012 > …) _ a pioneering project worldwide, with 62 actions carried out in 6 different countries, for 761 students aged between 65 and 102.
TOUR PARIS 13 (France – Paris, 2013) _ curated by the first group of Portuguese urban artists to take part in a globally recognized project.
DJERBAHOOD (Tunisia – Djerba, 2014) _ curated by the first group of Portuguese urban artists to take part in a pioneering artistic project worldwide.
WOOL ON TOUR (Portugal – Lisbon / LxFactory, 2012 > 2015) _ project responsible for launching Portuguese urban artists, now internationally renowned, such as Bordalo II, Add Fuel, Mário Belém or Tamara Alves.
WOOL + | Urban Art more accessible (Portugal – Covilhã, 2023 > 2024) _ a project focusing on the visual arts and public space that proposed a series of actions to guarantee access, enjoyment and artistic creation (community artist residencies, accessibility resources, guided tours and performance shows) for people with disabilities, hearing impairments or other specific needs.
