Deadline: 13 March 2026 | Grant: Up to 1,900€ | Duration: 2 Weeks | Pilot sites: Iceland, Romania, Greece, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland | More info>>
Open to craftspeople and creative entrepreneurs, the Tracks4Crafts residency programme Accelerator4Crafts Residency offers financial support for travel and accomodations of up to 1,900€ for two-week placements in Iceland, Romania, Greece, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland. This initiative connects heritage with future-facing practice, creating a funded space for experimentation and exchange.
Craft is often rooted in place, but it thrives on exchange. Tracks4Crafts is a European initiative bringing together fifteen partners, including the European Crafts Alliance, to support craftspeople and creative entrepreneurs in rethinking traditional knowledge for a contemporary context. The programme offers two-week international residencies that prioritise experimentation, learning and collaboration. Rather than focusing solely on production, Accelerator4Crafts Residency encourages the exchange of skills, ideas and methods, connecting heritage practices with contemporary technology, sustainability and new ways of working.
The Residency Programme
Accelerator4Crafts Residency follows a hybrid format. Selected participants will take part in preparatory online sessions before travelling to their host organisation for a two-week immersive residency taking place between April and June 2026.
Each residency is supported with up to 1,900€ to cover travel and accommodation costs. Participants are expected to document their process, whether through a physical outcome, film, written reflection or other form of shared learning.
Host Organisations
Applicants may choose from eight pilot sites across Europe, each offering a distinct focus and working environment:
- Icelandic Textile Centre (Iceland)
Research and material sampling using local wool, hemp and fish leather. - The Art of Silk Museum (Greece)
Preservation, education and research in traditional silk production. - Semne Cusute (Romania)
Heritage preservation centred on the Romanian traditional shirt and collective making. - Artex (Italy)
Ceramics-focused residencies with a strong emphasis on business development for craft SMEs. - Bokrijk (Belgium)
An open-air museum specialising in historical construction techniques and restoration. - Onl’fait (Switzerland)
A FabLab environment applying digital tools to craft, repair and making. - Waag FutureLab (Netherlands)
A research institute working at the intersection of science, technology and bio-design. - MX3D (Netherlands)
A pioneer in robotic wire arc additive manufacturing and large-scale metal printing.
Accelerator4Crafts Platform
The open call coincides with the launch of Accelerator4Crafts, a new digital platform designed as a long-term resource for the craft sector. The platform hosts diagnostic tools, reports and community spaces for peer learning, and also serves as the application portal for the Tracks4Crafts residencies.
How to Apply
The call is open to craftspeople and small creative businesses based in Europe.
The deadline for applications is 13 March 2026.
photo: Tracks4Crafts
Tracks4Crafts, connecting 15 partners, including the ECA, is an EU Horizon project that examines and transforms the transmission of traditional crafts knowledge (TCK). The aim is to enhance the societal and economic valuation of crafts and align them with a future-oriented heritage approach in Europe.
