Sérgio Ávila revealed that "the Government of the Azores will award a financial support to 118 craft projects in the amount of 169 thousand Euros, which represent a global investment over 304 thousand Euros."
The Vice-President stressed that the Government considers handicrafts as "an important activity, both economically and culturally. Hence, it has been developing a policy intended to support the development and revitalisation of the sector without, however, losing it genuine and traditional character."
For the government official, "these projects will provide an important contribution to the development of the Region with the valuation of locally-produced materials and will also have a positive impact on the creation of jobs and sustainability of the sector."
The projects that have applied for the Incentive Scheme for the Development of the Azores Handicraft (SIDART) this year comprise various areas, ranging from training courses to innovation of craft products.
So, the training projects involving a total investment of nearly 4,200 Euros, the reimbursement under SidArt will exceed 2,300 Euros.
With regard to the promotion of the sector, the Government will allocate a subsidy of 11 thousand Euros to projects involving a global investment of 21,600 Euros.
For the investment projects developed by craft production units amounting to 212 thousand Euros, the incentive scheme will allocate an amount of 117 thousand Euros.
The projects that applied to area of skills and innovation of craft products represent an overall investment of around 68 thousand Euros, which will be reimbursed by the Government in the amount of 37 thousand Euros.
The Incentive Scheme for the Development of the Azores Handicraft was created with the aim of promoting the sustainable development of craft activities in the regional economy, through a series of measures that assure the coherence of the incentive system.
The support for craft projects is one of the measures provided in the Agenda for Employment Creation and Business Competitiveness.