Escola Artística e Profissional Árvore
About Escola Árvore
Over four decades shaping artists and creative professionals in the heart of Porto.
Who We Are
An education centred on active citizenship and art
We are a professional school focused on active citizenship and on areas requiring artistic skills - particularly in the visual arts, with new technologies as a complementary tool.
Our educational project is guided by the development of creativity and active participation in the values of freedom, peace, and tolerance - and by preserving cultural and environmental heritage. We are the first UNESCO-associated school in Portugal.
Our pedagogy prioritises the practical dimension and project-based work, built on cooperation with local institutions and a close relationship between teachers and students.
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Years of History
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Graduated Students
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Professional Courses
Since 1982, at Escola Árvore, shaping artists and creative professionals who transform the world through art
Since 1982
Our History
Located in the heart of Porto's Historic Centre, on the Passeio das Virtudes - a natural balcony over the Douro - Escola Árvore is heir to the pedagogical project of Cooperativa Árvore, which took shape in the 1960s.
Conceived by artists, intellectuals, and teachers as a form of resistance to the cultural and educational landscape of the dictatorship era, Cooperativa Árvore became a pioneering movement in artistic and professional education. Its vision was shaped by the German Bauhaus, by António Sérgio's self-government pedagogy, and by Steiner-Waldorf school theories.
Escola Árvore is owned by Escola das Virtudes - Cooperativa de Ensino Polivalente e Artístico, C.R.L., founded in 1982 as part of an alternative project for humanistic education through art.
Our Approach
An atmosphere, a space for living
With over four decades of history, Árvore is also a cooperative community - teachers, technicians, staff, parents, and students are all members of the Cooperative that governs it. More than a school, it is a space for living before being a time of preparation for life.
We invest far more in learning than in teaching - a pedagogy of discovery and invention, grounded in experimentation and scientific rigour. A school open to innovation and boldness in art, combining technical, scientific, and artistic skills with civic, ethical, and aesthetic education.
International recognition
1st Associated School in Portugal
Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training
Accreditation for European mobility
European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education
National Association of Professional Schools
Professional guidance and adult qualification
What We Offer
Everything for your growth
International Internships
We guarantee internships at leading companies in Portugal and across Europe.
Professional Equipment
Fully equipped facilities with equipment loans for in-class and off-campus work.
Psychology Services
Psychological support and vocational guidance for students' personal and academic development.
Student Support Office
Personalised guidance for students' integration into the professional world.
Special Education
Support services by special education teachers for a truly inclusive learning environment.
Academic Support
Support to improve performance in national exams for university admission.
Documents
About financial support
Disclosure and publicity of grants awarded by European Union funds.
Applications Open 2026/2027
Secure your pre-registration and come see the space where you'll grow!