A Creative Village (for kids and not only) is born in Estoril

Margarida’s School has been operating in Estoril for 40 years, in a villa with its doors open to foreigners eager to learn Portuguese. In April, the Vila Criativa As Margaridas opened in the same space—an artistic workshop designed for both kids and adults, offering a wide range of activities.

“Margarida Alberti, who founded the school and lived here, always had a strong passion for the arts,” explains Piedade Rodrigues, the person behind the new project. On the lower floor of the school, informal workspaces and workshops dedicated to sewing and toy-making were always in operation, in a place known as the Artist’s Courtyard. The extensive collections of Margarida Alberti, who designed costumes for theatre, served as raw material to spark creativity in various fields.

Now 70 years old, the former language teacher has relocated to Vila Viçosa, in the Alentejo, where she also has an art studio. It was following this move, in an effort to expand activities beyond the regular classes at Margarida’s School, that she sought someone to take on the project and expand it into a multidisciplinary workshop. "That’s why we’re here, continuing Margarida’s legacy," says Piedade Rodrigues.

They officially kicked off their programming in April with an Easter holiday camp, but since March, they've been hosting free activities for the community, "to encourage people to come and discover the space."

There are rooms dedicated to sewing, a painting workshop, and a real toy factory – where kids can let their creative minds soar, using various materials and old toys to make their own creations.

“She used to do almost all of this by herself, but now she has help. In other words, she was the one creating the workshop, promoting it, and the children would come. This went on for years. In fact, the first students, or rather, the first children to attend the space, were exactly the children of old clients. They came because they knew what happened here. Now, we want to breathe new life into the space, bringing in professionals who already work in different areas and who can join us. We're still defining our programme and our schedule. We also want this to be a place for older people, who are at home in the mornings and don’t have activities to do. Here, they can meet people of the same age, doing painting, ceramics, learning music, making old toys...” Additionally, they plan to offer yoga classes for adults, children, and babies.

The Creative Village As Margaridas has a lovely garden with various areas, including a small pond, gnomes, and spaces just to relax. There are peacocks, ducks, and chickens roaming the property – and there’s even a wooden house dedicated to craftwork.

"We also want people who can bring knowledge, to come and talk about topics related to parenting, women’s issues, and even seniors. The doors are open for the community to come and experience this space. In the future, when the need arises, we’ll also have a small café here to support the activities."

The philosophy is all about giving children the freedom to move around in a safe space and allowing them to do things at their own pace. "For example, we do lots of games in the garden, and they can eat here or in the space upstairs. We really follow what the child wants, but of course, we also guide them."

The idea is to combine paid activities with occasional free initiatives. The principle of giving back to the community has always been present – and part of the revenue, historically, was sent by Margarida Alberti to fund schools in Cambodia.