Oasis Project – Mátra Artist Residency and SPARSE Conference, Hungary

The Oasis Project was a ten-day artist residency in a rural, underserved region of Hungary, close to nature, bringing together eight artists to develop a collaborative artistic project and engage with the local community.

Throughout the residency, we connected with local residents through workshops in schools and visits to community spaces across the village. Our aim was to make artistic experiences accessible to people with limited opportunities to participate in cultural activities.

The residency culminated in a five-hour participatory art event featuring installations, collaborative games, music and art workshops in nature, a campfire, storytelling and opportunities to meet and share experiences. The event concluded with a theatrical performance in which local residents were invited to participate actively.

Following the residency, we joined the SPARSE Conference in Miskolc, Hungary, where we presented our work to international cultural organisers and interdisciplinary artists. We shared our approach to community-based artistic practice and initiated conversations about future collaborations focused on rural cultural life, community engagement and sustainable connections between artists and local communities.

Together, these activities explored how interdisciplinary art can create meaningful cultural opportunities in underserved rural areas, strengthen local communities and foster international collaboration.