When we decided to open the coliving space, I had a vision: a village of talent. I envisioned a future where skills could revitalize our community, combat depopulation, and champion a more conscious, sustainable way of life away from the stress of big cities. To realize this vision, we needed to create platforms that could work in tandem with our coliving company, amplifying our ability to pursue this rural dream. This is how Rural Hackers was born.

Rural Hackers is an international NGO focused on breathing new life into rural areas. We approach this mission through two main avenues: international short-term projects and residency programs. At Rural Hackers, we’re not just about ideas; we’re about action. We encourage experimentation and learn from every experience, whether it’s a success or a valuable lesson. This mindset fosters an environment where creativity thrives, mistakes are celebrated as part of the journey, and each project leaves a lasting impact, inspiring others to think and act innovatively.

In this post, we’ll delve into how we develop our residency programs, sharing our methodology and providing examples. We’ll showcase initiatives and individuals who have embraced this opportunity to redefine rural living, spark disruptive innovation, and become part of a forward-thinking community that dares to challenge the norm.

Rural Hackers Residencies: revitalization of rural life trough arts, tech and creativity.

Galicia’s rural areas are facing severe depopulation, a crisis that threatens a way of life, endangers rich traditions, and disconnects us from our roots. However, we see emerging technologies as potential game-changers. These innovations can bring transformative change to rural areas, helping to build vibrant, sustainable ecosystems.

Rural Hackers is an international organization dedicated to fostering innovation at the intersection of technology, rural living, and art. We provide a platform for international interdisciplinary collaboration, empowering technologists, innovators, and artists to challenge traditional thinking and create groundbreaking projects that inspire positive change.

Our residencies are where art and technology converge with the authenticity of rural living, creating a transformative experience for all involved. Our month-long program at Anceu Coliving serves as a creative hub for artists, technologists, and innovators eager to explore and push boundaries. These residencies foster practical learning and innovation through immersive, hands-on experiences. We invite you to apply with a project or idea you’re passionate about developing, joining us in our mission to transform rural communities through collaborative solutions.

Below, you’ll find some examples of our residencies projects with Culture moves Europe and Siteground as collaborators.

Culture Moves Europe: Artistic Minds Converge in Rural Galicia

As a proud partner of Culture Moves Europe Programme , we hosted five exceptional residencies featuring talented individuals from Germany, Belgium, and Poland. These creative minds have converged at Anceu Coliving to collaborate, innovate, and inspire one another.

Let’s take a closer look at some of our remarkable residents:

Cam: Adventure Seeker and Muralist

Cam’s art serves as a portal to worlds brimming with wonder, magic, and a dash of the unexpected. Guided by her boundless imagination, she crafts spaces that blend figurative and abstract elements. During her time in Anceu, Cam immersed herself in the local culture, conducting interviews with villagers to uncover beliefs, traditions, history, and native flora. This rich tapestry of information inspired her to create three distinctive pieces of art, now proudly installed along the paths of Anceu. In a heartwarming collaboration with the village children, Cam also painted interactive games in the main square, bringing joy and playfulness to the community’s shared spaces.

Lotte: Upcycling Artist and Sustainability Advocate

Lotte has mastered the art of upcycling, breathing new life into discarded fabrics, clothes, and textiles. With sustainability at the core of her practice, Lotte ingeniously transforms materials once considered waste into objects of beauty and purpose. During her residency, she engaged deeply with local artists, interviewing tattoo artist Carlos, photographer Carlos, weaver Rosario, and painter Emilia to gain fresh perspectives on creativity. Lotte also hosted afternoon sessions exploring the essence of creativity with villagers, introducing artistic techniques like gel plate printing. Her final piece, a textile artwork, will encapsulate the inspiration drawn from these rich interactions.

Mery: Where Art Meets Nature

A graduate of the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts, this left-handed creative sees beauty in nature and the extraordinary aspects of everyday life. As the founder of Ja Mery Studio, Mery is passionate about making a difference, creating captivating spaces, translating ideas into visuals, and embracing both grand and small adventures. She collects memories from the people she meets, the sounds she hears, the sights she encounters, and the conversations she engages in, all while maintaining an aesthetic of simplicity and beauty. For her residency project, Mery embarked on an inner journey to discover the local flora. Gathering knowledge from villagers about native plants, she created an installation that beautifully showcases the botanical richness of the area.

These diverse and inspiring projects exemplify the core mission of Rural Hackers: to foster innovation, creativity, and sustainable development in rural communities through the intersection of art, technology, and local culture.

Siteground residency: ReFrame Cam project, empowering Rural Communities to Capture Nature’s Story

Our last spotlight for this post is the innovative ReFrame Cam project, led by our resident Ovi Hentea and sponsored by Siteground. This initiative brilliantly combines community engagement with simple technology to monitor environmental changes in our village.

ReFrame Cam works like this:

1. 3D-printed phone holders are installed at key locations.
2. Villagers take photos and upload them via QR codes.
3. These images track changes in nature, from tree growth to ecosystem restoration.

The project focuses on three main areas:

1. A community orchard providing a future food source and supporting biodiversity at Anceu Coliving.
2. A hillside reforestation where children planted diverse local tree species close by Ponte Caldelas highschool.
3. An ecosystem restoration site, replacing non-native plants with local species at Anceu village.

Through ReFrame Cam, our community is actively participating in environmental stewardship. It’s easy to get involved – just find a ReFrame Cam point, take a photo, and upload it. Every snapshot contributes to our understanding of our changing rural landscape.

Check out https://reframecam.org/ for more details. At Rural Hackers, we’re proud to support projects like this that blend innovation, community, and nature conservation.

This project exemplifies how Rural Hackers is reframing rural life through technology and community action. Stay tuned for more updates on our residents’ exciting initiatives!