The Government of the Azores will mark, through the Vice-Presidency, the European Craft Days by promoting a series of activities that will include a workshop for children, a guided tour and the urban markets crafts to be held in Ponta Delgada and Praia da Vitória.
 
Organised by the Regional Centre for Handicrafts (CRAA), these activities will begin on April 1 at the Museum Workshop in Capelas, São Miguel, with a painting workshop of traditional ceramic toys. The activity is directed to children attending Free Time Occupation Centres (ATL).
 
On the following day, there will be a bus tour to the north coast of São Miguel that includes guided tours to three craft production units, namely the Museum Workshop in Capelas, the Gorreana Tea Factory in Maia and the weaving workshop - "O Linho" by artisan Lourdes Lindo in Lombinha da Maia.
 
With this visit, CRAA aims to show the reality of handicrafts on the island of São Miguel as well as to disseminate products, techniques and creation spaces of local craft production units.
 
Registrations for this trip, which are limited, can be made at the email [email protected] email.
 
In the context of the celebrations of the European Craft Days, CRAA promotes the organisation of urban craft markets (MUA) in Ponta Delgada and Praia da Vitória, from April 1 to 4, featuring the participation of 16 artisans from Azores and two guests from Mainland Portugal.
 
The Ponta Delgada MUA feature artisans Catarina Castello, Inês Ribeiro, Odília Mancebo, Teresa Baganha, Randal Gladwin and Atalhada Cultural Centre (São Miguel), José Francisco Pereira (Faial) and Publicações Serrote (Lisbon).
 
In turn, the Praia da Vitória MUA will feature artisans Isabel Rosário, Manuela Sousa, Maria Aurélia Rocha, Samuel Castro, Francisco Rocha, Cookies & Friends and Lúcia Freitas (Terceira), Bruna Silva (Santa Maria) and the company Só Sabão (Viseu).
 
Under this initiative, there will be four workshops on tin works, macramé, typography and ceramics in Ponta Delgada market and on knitting, tile painting, handmade soap and leather works in Praia da Vitória market.
 
The European Craft Days are intended promote and develop handicrafts in Europe through the meeting of artisans out of their work environment, exhibitions, visits to training centres, workshops and theme tours.
 
This activity is coordinated by the Institut National des Métiers d'art in France, and involves the participation of 18 countries.
 
In Portugal, the European Craft Days will be marked in the Azores, Lisbon and Coimbra.