ABOUT
Lara Lourenço Harrington
Founder of Hotel Papel and Não me Digas!, Lara Lourenço Harrington is a cultural entrepreneur and community builder dedicated to fostering international exchange through the arts.
"As a first-generation Portuguese-American with family roots in Faial and Terceira, I believe that meaningful travel has the power to strengthen relationships, preserve cultural heritage, and inspire creativity."
With a background spanning entrepreneurship, nonprofit leadership, the arts, and community development, she has spent her career bringing people together through thoughtful experiences and collaborative projects. Through Hotel Papel, Lara curates immersive residencies and cultural programs that celebrate the deep historical and cultural ties between sister cities across the Atlantic.
When she's not planning the next residency, you can find her on the Azorean Whaleboats, making art, or discovering new ways to build community through culture, conversation, and creativity.
DATMA
The Massachusetts Design Art and Technology Institute (DATMA) was founded to enhance the evolving dynamic cultural and economic life of Southcoast Massachusetts. DATMA is committed to bringing world-renowned art, design, and technology exhibitions, programs, and initiatives to the visitors and citizens of New Bedford and the region, identified as one of the Commonwealth’s most creative economies by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. As an exhibitor of public art, DATMA collaborates with the governmental, business, and education sectors of the region to expand public awareness, bringing new cultural assets into the mix. For the 2026 inaugural Hotel Papel artist in residence program, DATMA facilitated programming and educational exercises to enable artist participants to advance their creative process.
"It was a pleasure producing creative exercises and experiences for this first group of Hotel Papel artists. The deep connection among the six artists and their bond with Faial's culture accelerated their creative process to a pace I have rarely seen in my 25 years of fostering artists."
- Lindsay Mís, Executive Director, DATMA
Ethan De Aguiar
Ethan DeAguiar is an award-winning filmmaker and creative director from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Drawn to stories rooted in identity, place, and community, his work blends cinematic visuals with an intimate documentary style that captures authentic human experiences.
As the documentary filmmaker for Hotel Papel, Ethan followed the residency as it unfolded, documenting the artists, the creative process, and the cultural exchange between Greater New Bedford and the Açores. His film explores how Hotel Papel inspired new perspectives and lasting connections through collaboration and shared experiences.
Always behind the camera, Ethan is passionate about preserving stories that might otherwise go untold. Through his work with Hotel Papel, he is helping create a lasting record of a project that celebrates creativity, cultural heritage, and the enduring relationship between communities on both sides of the Atlantic.
