Joi Murugavell
El Nucleo Residency

The SZ Foundation is a private non-profit organisation established in September 2018 by Sara Zaldívar and Fernando Sarasola, and registered in the Foundations Registry of the Spanish Ministry of Culture. Its statutory aim is the promotion of artistic creation and research in the field of contemporary visual arts.

One of its key initiatives is El Núcleo, an artist residency programme located at Yeguada El Espinar in Segovia, Spain.

Each year, a committee of experts—including gallerists, curators, and collectors—selects between three and six artists to participate in residencies lasting one to two months. During their stay, artists are immersed in the cultural context of Spain, while contributing to the local artistic landscape through the development of new work and exchange of ideas.

In addition to its residency programme, the SZ Foundation is committed to education and research in the visual arts, organising seminars, lecture series, exhibitions, and awards across different artistic disciplines. Its registered office is based in Madrid, with the residency space located in El Espinar, Segovia.

El Núcleo is situated approximately 30 minutes from Madrid and 15 minutes from Segovia, in a unique natural environment near the Sierra de El Espinar, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The residency is housed within Yeguada El Espinar, a 100-hectare high-performance equestrian centre surrounded by landscaped gardens and open countryside.