Six artists from the SouthCoast region of Massachusetts recently completed the inaugural Hotel Papel residency on the island of Faial in the Azores. The residency, designed to celebrate the sister city relationship between Greater New Bedford and the Azores, allowed the participants to explore local culture, traditions, and landscapes. Their resulting works, spanning ceramics, photography, film, writing, and painting, will be showcased in a group exhibition titled "The Same Sea" at the Massachusetts Design Art and Technology Institute (DATMA).
This initiative highlights the importance of cultural exchange and heritage in contemporary art-making, particularly within immigrant-heavy communities like New Bedford and Fall River. By facilitating direct engagement with their ancestral roots, the program fosters a deeper exploration of identity and belonging. The collaboration between Hotel Papel and DATMA underscores a growing regional commitment to supporting local artists through international dialogue and professional development opportunities.