The Regional Secretariat for the Economy, through the Regional Centre for Handicrafts (CRAA), will organise an exhibition at “Loja Açores” of Portas do Mar from May 6 to 20.

This event aims to make the public acquainted with the handicraft pieces selected in each category - Traditional Handicrafts and Contemporary Handicrafts – for the 2011National Handicrafts Award “As Artes da Casa” (House Arts), sponsored by the Employment and Vocational Training Institute.

These pieces will also represent the Autonomous Region of the Azores at the twenty-fourth editions of the International Handicrafts Fair to take place at the Parque das Nações in Lisbon from June 25 to July 3.

Of the twenty-seven pieces in competition for the National Handicrafts Award -sixteen in the traditional category and eleven in the contemporary category - four traditional pieces and three contemporary pieces were chosen to represent the Region.

This is another initiative developed by the CRAA to promote local handicrafts, hence contributing to the cultural enhancement of artisans.