Crafting Wellbeing - European Crafts Alliance Annual Conference 2026
Schedule
Thu, 30 Apr, 2026 at 09:30 am
UTC+02:00Location
Fortezza da Basso | Firenze, TO
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Practices, communities and the power of makingWhat happens when the rhythmic act of making—shaping clay, weaving willow, working with wood—steps out of the studio and into the healthcare sector?
Co-organized by Artex - Centro per l'Artigianato Artistico e Tradizionale della Toscana and presented at Firenze Fiera SpA during the 90th MIDA International Handicraft Exhibition, this year we explore the vital intersection of craft, health, and social inclusion.
A central highlight of the programme is the premiere of the ECA’s foundational study on Crafting Health and Wellbeing. Alongside this vital data, we will hear from practitioners who are successfully integrating traditional crafts into professional recovery programmes, creating new career pathways for makers, and contributing to better health and wellbeing.
🟢Opening Remarks:
Lorenzo Becattini (Firenze Fiera), Elisa Guidi (Artex/MIDA 90), and Ana Cristina Mendes (ECA/ CEARTE - Centro de Formação Profissional para o Artesanato e Património).
▫️Speakers include:
Dr. Sirpa Kokko & Niina Väänänen, University of Eastern Finland
Anne Kirketerp Linstad (Craft-Psychology)
Elena Baistrocchi, Arte della Seta Lisio Foundation
Célia Macedo, Célia Macedo, PhD
Elisa Bonini, La Nuova Tinaia APS
Giovanni Figini, Cometa - Accogliere per educare
Anna Rita Fasano & Annalisa Apicella, APS Pandora ceramist artists
Elton Micallef, Malta Crafts Foundation
Laura Miguel Baumann (ECA)
and host Siobhán Joyce O'Callaghan (ECA)
Whether you are a practitioner, a health professional, or a policymaker, join us to help create a shared language between the workshop and the public health sector!
🎟️ Participation is free and open to the public.
Conference attendees will receive complimentary access to the fair during the duration of the conference.
More info: https://europeancraftsalliance.org/eca-annual-conference-2026-crafting-wellbeing/
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Where is it happening?
Fortezza da Basso, Pitti Immagine Filati, 50129 Firenze FI, Italia, Firenze, ItalyEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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