Creating a space that enables the development of all activities carried out by the Regional Centre for Handicrafts (CRAA), creating tourist road maps that include certified handicraft units, establishing a documentation centre, creating a collection of regional handicraft and developing new methods for promoting these products are some of the goals to be implemented by the Regional Centre for Handicrafts.

These goals were announced in Ponta Delgada on Thursday by Sofia Medeiros, the Regional Director of this department which is under the administration of the Regional Secretariat for the Economy.  

According the government official, “the creation a CRAA space primarily aims to coordinate the administrative component of the current centre with a training component, providing a space for developing the technical skills of artisans and opening its the doors to the community in general.”

This space is mainly addressed at “the promotion of training courses, workshops and seminars among other activities,” in order “to provide the public and artisans with the skills for traditional activities by encouraging innovation and fostering a multidisciplinary approach,” stated the Regional Director.

In order to increase the visibility of Azorean handicraft activities in a dynamic perspective of renewal and assertion of a strong identity, the CRAA has created a new brand M.ART (Handicraft Display) which will replace the designation used at fairs until now.

“Every year, exhibitions are organised under a theme and this year’s exhibition are held under the theme “Brinquedos de Ontem, Bonecreiros de Hoje” (Toys of Yesterday, Puppeteers of Today). In this context, the handicraft exhibitions “will feature educational moments on puppet creation for the interested audiences,” stated the Director of CRAA.

Moreover, this regional department will also create the “Azores in a box – Artcraft” Kits, designed to promote regional products from various craft activities in order to reach different audiences: These kits will be divided into three different types, one for institutional gifts from public entities, another for the public in general and one exclusively addressed at children.”

The creation of an exclusive website for handicrafts is another activity to be developed this year as, according to Sofia Medeiros, “this one fundamental step towards the integration of CRAA on the Internet, thus enhancing the dissemination and promotion of Azorean crafts in their traditional and contemporary dimensions.” It will be a space intended “to provide information to artisans, allowing them to disseminate their personal pages, exchange information and promote our products,” stressed Sofia Medeiros.

The CRAA also provides the creation of “a collection of pieces representing Azorean crafts with the purpose of dignify, promote and project the image of Azorean Arts and Crafts.” In this context, the Regional Centre for Handicrafts will soon start the inventorying and cataloguing process of the existing works, being the result of donations and training courses developed over the last years.”

This collection “is intended to represent and promote the Azorean Handicrafts at fairs, as well as at national and international events of great relevance in this area, primarily through the presentation of works that stand out for their quality and uniqueness, such as, for example, fig tree pith craftworks.

“There are artisans who, because of their age or other limitations, cannot not participate in fairs abroad; therefore, with the creation of this collection, they will still be able to continue to display their work, which is of high quality,” said the Regional Director of CRAA.

Furthermore, this department will also “establish a documentation centre which, despite being opened to the public, will be mainly addressed at artisans, allowing the contact with publications about the subject so that they may promote a constant updating of their knowledge and, consequently, of their work, which will foster new approaches,” concluded Sofia Medeiros.