ART IN THE ALGARVE

Art in the Algarve appreciate that there is a lot to consider when planning your holiday. We have created this page to include everything you may need to consider for your next trip. For everything else you can always contact us.

Our guests tend to bring their own brushes, paper, paints, pencils, sketch pads and canvasses. There is an excellent art shop in Olhao that provides the majority of things that painters use. For those using oils turps can be purchased in Olhao if you are not happy about bringing it on the plane but you will often find some left over in the school from a previous week. It is also recommended that you use a fast drying oil such as Griffin Alkyd, made by Windsor & Newton, however as the weather in Portugal is usually so warm it doesn’t tend to be a problem. For carrying paintings home then we find that corks can be used as excellent separators (one slice in each corner of the board).

All meals are included in the price, as is the tuition; the only extras that you will need to pay for is the transfer from the airport which is €20 each way ( if you are sharing a taxi then the cost is split per person) & air tickets to get to Faro. One trip to the island is included, if groups would like to go more then once then the ferry ride over is around 4 euros. Tipping is of course at your discretion; there is a lovely girl who does breakfast every morning and cleans the bedrooms and house.

Yes ! The Algarve is the perfect holiday for people with all tastes. Golf is a hugely popular sport amongst tourists with an excellent range of golf courses all with-in a 15-45 min drive of Olhao. Faro has plenty to see, including a beautiful walled city in the old town, as well as a large shopping centre. Olhao is also good for shopping with a new shopping centre close to the city centre. The islands of the Ria Formosa are a stone’s throw away form Olhao and provide stunning quiet empty beaches. There are also activities like kayaking, fishing, snorkelling, diving, and other water sports. The Ria Formosa is a natural park so plenty of interesting birds and wildlife.

The Algarve has lovely weather all year round, the summer months can get up to 32 degrees and the winter stays cooler at around 18. For a full climate chart please see our climate page.

It is fair to say that Olhao is very famous for its fish but all restaurants serve a selection of vegetarian dishes along with plenty of meat, fish and seafood dishes. If you have a special requirement it is best to discuss this with us at your time of your booking.

There are several airlines that fly to Faro on a regular basis, majority of them are the “no frills” cheaper flights including

However you can also fly with scheduled airlines

If you are not confident in booking your flights on line then Art In The Algarve will book your flight for you for a charge of £15. Passport numbers and credit card details will be required. We will endeavour to search for the cheapest flight or the airline of your choice.

Insurance is advised for all guests. Insurance can be obtained for as little as £10 a week – insure and go

Why is insurance so important? Medical costs for British travellers abroad can be extremely high and without insurance can lead to huge costs and debt. Travel insurance also covers you if either you or we had to cancel your holiday for any reason, compensating you money that had been paid. For peace of mind and financial security it is highly advised that you obtain insurance.

We have collated the following links that we thought useful, if you would like your link to appear here please contact us.

I Love Algarve ! – www.ilovealgarve.net Artists’ House – www.artistalgarve.com

Antonia Williams – www.antoniawilliams.com Bee Morrison – www.beemorrison.co.uk/index.html Andy Walker – www.learntodo.co.uk Doris Lindemann – www.dorislindemann.co.uk Kate Stenhouse – www.katestenhouse.co.uk Jonathan Newey – www.jonathannewey.com Joanne Thomas – www.artbyboon.co.uk Elaine Searle – www.paintbotanical.com

Painting Holidays in Italy – www.flavoursholidays.co.uk Devon Holiday directory – www.devon-holiday.com Society for all artists – www.saa.co.uk Artnetdirectory – www.artnetdirectory.co.uk Artsearch – www.art-search.co.uk The Holiday Directory – www.theholidaydirectory.co.uk Photo Image Products – www.photoimageproducts.com Australian art schools – www.arteducation.com.au/ ArtBLAH Information & Inspiration – www.artblah.com Paintings of The Algarve and beyond -www.lizallenart.com Sell or Buy art paintings for sale-www.mybestcanvas.com Free Auction prices – www.findartinfo.com

The Algarve Art Club has been established to promote “Art” and local Artists in southern Portugal. The Club resides within The Art Bar in Olhao where members can enjoy the benefits of their own “space” within the extensive facilities the school has to offer.

The Club is dedicated to “The Arts” and is forming reciprocal “Links” with similar Clubs around the World. The Club holds regular exhibitions of local and visiting Artists’ work in the Art Bar in the main street in Olhao opposite the markets. Members enjoy discounted prices on the food and drink and the facilities and also have the ability to use the accommodation that the Club has.

Please contact us for more information.

The following Booking Conditions form the basis of your contract with Art In The Algarve. Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. These Booking Conditions only apply to holiday arrangements which you book with us in the UK and which we agree to make, provide or perform (as applicable) as part of our contract with you. All references in these Booking Conditions to ‘holiday’, ‘booking’, ‘contract’, ‘package’, ‘tour’ or ‘arrangements’ mean such holiday arrangements. In these Booking Conditions, ‘you’ and ‘your’ means all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date). ‘We’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ means Art In The Algarve.

1. Making your booking The party leader must be authorised to make the booking on the basis of these Booking Conditions by all persons named on the booking and their parent or guardian for all party members who are under 18 when the booking is made. The party leader is responsible for all payments due to us. The party leader must be at least 18 when the booking is made. Once we have received your booking and all appropriate payments, we will, subject to availability, confirm your holiday by issuing a confirmation invoice. This invoice will be sent to the party leader. Please check this invoice carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact us immediately if any information which appears on the confirmation or any other document appears to be incorrect or incomplete as it may not be possible to make changes later.

2. Your contract A binding contract between us comes into existence when we despatch our confirmation invoice to the party leader. We both agree that English Law (and no other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us (except as set out below). We both also agree that any dispute, claim or other matter of any description (and whether or not involving any personal injury) which arises between us must be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only unless, in the case of Court proceedings, you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland. In this case, proceedings must either be brought in the Courts of your home country or those of England and Wales. If proceedings are brought in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you may choose to have your contract and any dispute, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us governed by the law of Scotland/Northern Ireland as applicable (but if you do not so choose, English law will apply). Changes to these Booking Conditions or the General Information shown in our brochure or on our website will only be valid if agreed by us.

3. Payment In order to confirm your chosen holiday, a deposit of 40% per person (or full payment if booking within four weeks of departure) must be paid at the time of booking. The balance of the holiday cost must be received by us not less than 4 weeks prior to departure. Reminders are not sent. If we do not receive all payments due (including any surcharge where applicable) in full and on time, we are entitled to assume that you wish to cancel your booking. In this case, we will be entitled to keep all deposits paid or due at that date. If we do not cancel straight away because you have promised to make payment, you must pay the cancellation charges shown in clause 6 depending on the date we reasonably treat your booking as cancelled.

4. Special requests and medical conditions If you have any special request, you must advise us in writing at the time of booking. Although we will endeavour to pass any reasonable requests on to the relevant supplier, we regret we cannot guarantee any request will be met unless we have specifically confirmed this. For your own protection, you should obtain confirmation in writing from us that your request will be complied with (where it is possible for us to give this) if your request is important to you. Confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed on to the supplier or the inclusion of the special request on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation is not confirmation that the request will be met. Unless and until specifically confirmed, all special requests are subject to availability. We regret we cannot accept any conditional bookings, i.e. any booking which is specified to be conditional on the fulfilment of a particular request. All such bookings will be treated as “standard” bookings subject to the above provisions on special requests. If you or any member of your party has any medical condition or disability which may affect your holiday, please tell us before you confirm your booking so that we can advise as to the suitability of the chosen arrangements. In any event, you must give us full details in writing at the time of booking. If we reasonably feel unable to properly accommodate the particular needs of the person concerned, we must reserve the right to decline their reservation or, if full details are not given at the time of booking, cancel when we become aware of these details.

5. The cost of your holiday We also reserve the right to make changes to and correct errors in advertised prices at any time before your holiday is confirmed. We will advise you of any error of which we are aware and of the then applicable price at the time of booking. We reserve the right to increase or decrease the price of unsold holidays at any time. As all prices are advertised in Euros if you are paying in pounds we will convert the cost of the holiday on the day of booking to the current exchange rate. Once the price of your chosen holiday has been confirmed at the time of booking, we will only increase or decrease it in the following circumstances. Price increases or decreases after booking will be passed on by way of a surcharge or refund. A surcharge or refund (as applicable) will be payable, subject to the conditions set out in this clause, if our costs increase or decrease as a result of transportation costs (e.g. fuel, scheduled airfares and any other airline surcharges which are part of the contract between airlines (and their agents) and the tour operator ) or dues, taxes or fees payable for services such as landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at airports increasing or decreasing. Where a refund is due, we will pay you the full amount of the decrease in our costs. You have 14 days from the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice to tell us if you want to cancel If you do not tell us that you wish to do so within this period of time, we are entitled to assume that you will pay the surcharge. Any surcharge must be paid with the balance of the cost of the holiday or within 14 days of the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice, whichever is the later. We promise not to levy a surcharge within 30 days of the start of your holiday. Please note, changes and errors occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen holiday at the time of booking.

6. Cancellation by you Should you or any member of your party need to cancel your chosen holiday once it has been confirmed, the party leader must immediately advise us in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when it is received in writing by us at our offices. As we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking, the following cancellation charges will be payable. Where the cancellation charge is shown as a percentage, this is calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) cancelling. Period before departure within which written notification of cancellation is received by us: Prior to 80 days – Deposit returned, 61 days – Deposit forfeited 60-42 days – 50% of total holiday cost, 41-28 days: – 70% of total holiday cost 27-14 days – 90% of total holiday cost, Less than 14 days: – 100% of total holiday cost. Cancellation charges are per person cancelling Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company concerned. Where any cancellation reduces the number of full paying party members below the number on which the price, number of free places and/ or any concessions agreed for your booking were based, we will recalculate these items and re-invoice you accordingly. Please note, no refunds at all can be given until we receive back from you all travel documents we have sent to you (where these have been issued.) If any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person may transfer their place, to someone else (introduced by you) providing we are notified not less than two weeks before departure and provided the transferee meets all the requirements of these booking conditions for the holiday concerned.

7. Changes and cancellation by us We start planning the holidays we offer many months in advance. Occasionally, we have to make changes to and correct errors in information sheets, website and other details both before and after bookings have been confirmed and cancel confirmed bookings. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so. However, we promise we will only cancel your confirmed booking 8 weeks or less before departure where you have failed to comply with any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (such as paying on time) or where we are forced to do so as a result of “force majeure” as defined in clause 10 below or where the minimum number of persons required to operate your holiday (if applicable) has not been reached. If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible. If there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options:-(a) (for significant changes) accepting the changed arrangements (b)purchasing an alternative holiday from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available.

8. Force Majeure Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract with you is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any damage or loss as a result of “force majeure”. In these Booking Conditions, “force majeure” means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, actual or threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events outside our control.

9. Passports, visas and health requirements A full British passport presently takes approximately 4 weeks to obtain. If you or any member of your party is 16 or over and haven’t yet got a passport, our recommendation is that you should apply for one at least 6 weeks before your holiday. The UK Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport and from October 2006 will ask you to attend an interview in order to do this. Requirements may change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure with the Embassy or consulate of the country(ies) you are travelling through and to. Information on health is contained in the Department of Health leaflet T6 (Health Advice for Travellers) available from your local Department of Health office, by visiting www.dh.gov.uk and most Post Offices. For holidays in the European Economic Area you should obtain an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) prior to departure. NB this card replaced the E111. From January 2006 E111 forms will not be valid.) It is the party leader’s responsibility to ensure that all members of the party are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure. All costs incurred in obtaining such documentation must be paid by you. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you or any member of your party are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry correct documentation. If you or any member of your party is not a British citizen or holds a non British passport, you must check passport and visa requirements with the Embassy or Consulate of the country(ies) to or through which you are intending to travel. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results to fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.

10. Delay We regret we are not in a position to offer you any assistance in the event of delay at your outward or homeward point of departure. Any airline concerned may however provide refreshments. We cannot accept liability for any delay which is due.In addition, we will not be liable for any delay unless it has a significant effect on your holiday arrangements.

Following requests from residents in the Algarve, we can now offer a limited number of places for day students on courses throughout the year. The cost is €180 for the 6 days painting course which includes lunch, 6 days painting course and a mid week trip to the island of Armona, Culutra or Farol. The day begins at around 9:00 am and will finish at around 5:00pm. On the last day there will also be an exhibition held of the weeks work. Please contact us if you would like to join a course.

There is a great tradition of artists from northern countries living and working in Southern Europe. Attracted by the warmth and beauty of the landscape, the quality of the light, and the ability to work outdoors, they spend time in countries such as Portugal and decide to live and paint in places like Olhao. Inspired by the different architecture and life and character of the welcoming people, they bring their own creativity with them.

There are now a number of artists in the Olhao area, and also a recently opened Art School which brings regular groups of painters and tutors to the town on a variety of courses – students who come and discover Olhao and its many charms while painting and drawing the local scenery.

Exhibition’s in The Art Bar on the Avenida 5 De Outboubro, Olhao, celebrate the work of some of the artists who work in Olhao. They come from The Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom and Japan: Mitsuko Hidaka, Jeremy Dunleavy, Karin Brouwer, Justine Albronda, Tony Rothon, Meinke Flesseman, Isabelle Saintrequier, Dieterik Vermuelen, Antonia Williams, Edwin Hagendoorn & Sarah Nutley are some of the artists that have had their work exhibited.