7 to 12 April 2026 | Across Europe
The European Crafts Days (ECD) return this spring, celebrating the richness and diversity of contemporary making across the continent. Coordinated by L’Institut pour les Savoir Faire Français, the 2026 edition is guided by the theme With Heart and Soul, highlighting the passion, skill, and shared knowledge that sustain craft traditions across generations.
Whether you are based in a big city or a small village, the European Craft Days offer a unique opportunity to connect with the makers shaping our cultural landscape. We strongly encourage makers to register their events on the official map, and we invite the public to discover the extraordinary talent in their local regions.
France: The Birthplace of the ECDs
photo: JEMA2025, Besancon®ADetienne
As the birthplace of the European Craft Days, France continues to lead the continent with an unparalleled celebration of heritage and creativity. Marking its twentieth edition, the ECDs are initiated and coordinated by L’Institut pour les Savoir Faire Français and has welcomed over twenty million visitors since its creation in 2002.
This year, the majestic Centre Val de Loire takes the spotlight as the official French Region of Honour. Home to the iconic UNESCO World Heritage castles, the region boasts over ten thousand craft businesses. Visitors can explore a rich local legacy of ceramics, interior decoration, and glassmaking, alongside the meticulous restoration trades dedicated to preserving these monumental historical sites.
Across the entire country, the public is invited to immerse themselves in a massive calendar of events. Highlights include the highly anticipated Rendez vous d Exception, which offer rare behind the scenes access to prestigious institutions and heritage sites. Additionally, the newly launched Coups de coeur programme celebrates outstanding collective community initiatives. With a strong focus on rural dynamism and youth, the French programme ensures these precious heritage skills continue to circulate from hand to hand to inspire the next generation of makers.
Belgium: The Country of Honour
While the centre of European decision-making, Belgium is also home to a rich and varied craft landscape. Craftsmanship has shaped the identity of Belgian cities for centuries, from the power of medieval artisan guilds to the rich traditions of Flemish lace-making.
To strengthen this spotlight, the European Crafts Alliance (ECA) is providing specific support to the national coordination. Driven by the collaborative efforts of BeCraft and Mad’in Europe, this initiative unites Belgian artisans and maximises visibility across the country. The ECA is also driving engagement across its wider European network to amplify the international reach.
As part of the Country of Honour programme, Mad’in Europe is spearheading the digital and heritage outreach, connecting the public with the profound history of Belgian making. To mark the occasion, they have published an exclusive series of bespoke articles exploring the roots of Crafts in the Belgian Style. These editorial deep dives invite readers to discover the fascinating history behind the 12th-century guild houses of the Brussels Grand Place, the Golden River of flax that birthed the world’s finest lace, and the masterful stone cutting and decorative trompe l’œil painting that defined the Belgian Art Nouveau movement. Find out about The Belgium Way of Crafting>>
BeCraft is anchoring the physical celebrations with two major exhibitions at the historic Anciens Abattoirs site in Mons. In the Grande Halle, the exhibition À la belle vue de l’abattoir brings together 55 artists from 12 European countries to explore the heritage of these spaces. Simultaneously, the site’s Stables host the soul of BeCraft: the Vitrine des Créateurs (Creators’ Showcase). Featuring the works of 36 member artists, it highlights contemporary creations in dialogue with the historic architecture, questioning materiality and revealing the intelligence of the gesture.
Beyond the galleries, BeCraft is expanding the festival experience through curated trails and digital storytelling. To guide visitors across the country, a dedicated interactive map will launch on the BeCraft website, tracing a bespoke “Open Atelier” journey through the private studios of their participating members. This physical trail is enriched online by the release of 20 intimate video portraits of BeCraft makers, culminating in the premiere of a brand-new video feature spotlighting the collaborative energy of the Au Charbon collective. Explore more>>
Programme Highlights
- Earth (Clay & form – Independent ceramics): Step inside the studios of independent makers: Anna Tou, Diane Tenret, Coline Rosoux, Emilie Janiaud, Sarah Guilloux, Olivia Mortier, Morgane Saladin, Philippe Brodzki, Nathalie Campion, Laurence Clotman, Patrick Jadot.
- Fibre (Textiles, paper & wood – Tactile innovations): Delve into rich traditions and masterful bookbinding. Meet Laure Kasiers, Mopsa Marciano, Louise Limontas, Romina Remmo, Sébastien Lenouvel, and ASBL CRECIT, alongside paper design studio Tokowo (Grégoire Vigneron) and woodworker storyteller Hugh Roche Kelly.
- Fire (Sculpture & glass – Material mastery): Discover sculptural ceramics and glassblowing with Atelier du Capricorne, and Frederik Rombach (Rero Glass).
- Precision (Jewellery – Adornment): Delve into the disciplines of fine jewellery and contemporary cabinetmaking. Meet the craftspeople: Saskia Shutt, NOJ (Aurore de Heusch), Isabelle Azaïs, École Jeanne Toussaint, and Hectare Gallery.
- Collective (Shared studios – Collaborative making): Explore the multi-disciplinary environments of Atelier Bardaf, Au Charbon, and the Atelier collectif.
- Vision (Eyewear & objects – Optical & sculptural forms): Step into the studios of master lunetier Ludovic Elens for bespoke spectacles, and explore conceptual object design with An Vandenberk, Monique Voz, Machteld Lambeets, and Maria Fernanda Guzman.
- Heritage (Architecture & restoration, Preserving the past): Witness the preservation of architectural beauty and decorative arts. Discover meticulous decorative painting and trompe-l’œil with Florine Dain, masterful plasterwork and marble stucco with Angel Barrero, and intricate pavement restoration with Judith Delville (Tilt / mosaic.brussels).
- Museum (Curated exhibitions, Exploring crafts): Delve into the history and evolution of Belgian making. Visit Keramis (Centre of Ceramic), the Musée du Verre de Charleroi, and TAMAT (Tapestry and Textile Arts Museum). Explore contemporary textile dialogues at La Maison des Arts, and special showcases at Maison Losseau and CID au Grand-Hornu.
- Knowledge (Training & tradition, Living heritage): Discover how ancestral skills are passed on. Explore the open-air heritage museum of Bokrijk, and witness meticulous training at Le Pôle de la Pierre (stone craftsmanship), the Centre des métiers du Patrimoine – La Paix-Dieu, and the Académie des Beaux-Arts de Watermael-Boitsfort.
Spain: A Nationwide Celebration
Spain is hosting a staggering programme of over 700 events! Coordinated nationally by Fundesarte with support by Oficio y Arte, the country is bursting with open doors and live demonstrations. In Madrid, Asociación para la Creación Textil presents a vibrant three day textile festival at Casabonita featuring haute couture techniques, while in Catalonia, Objetos con Vidrio opens the doors to elite glass art studios for intimate talks and live making in Barcelona.
photo: Dias Europeos de la Artesania 2018, Galicia, Taller Idoia Cuesta, Fundesarte
photo courtesy of Artex
Italy: From Piedmont to Veneto
The Italian national coordinator Artex has organised a massive regional rollout. In Florence, the Conventino fuori le Mura becomes a hub for tailoring and wood carving. The momentum spreads to Piedmont with Sashiko embroidery and Kintsugi workshops in Biella, clay handbuilding in Emilia Romagna, and historical textile revivals in Friuli Venezia Giulia. In Umbria, visitors can enjoy guided terracotta tours in Perugia, while in Veneto, Fondo Plastico presents the evocative CUORI SACRI exhibition at SETA Spazio alle Arti Applicate.
Georgia: Heritage Meets Modernity
Georgian Arts and Culture Center is overseeing a vibrant array of events as the national coordinator. Their expansive programme includes more than 14 masterclasses in ceramic, woodcarving, metalwork, textiles, etc., offered by master craftsmen, craft workshops, and educational institutions from urban and rural areas across Georgia. The Georgian Heritage Crafts Association is a separate organization that provides a Lecture and Creative Masterclass – Discovering Pirosmani.
photo: Ceramic Artge, Ana Japaridze Nino Kopaladze
Malta: Interactive Island Routes
The Malta Crafts Foundation is launching a dynamic interactive map to guide visitors through open studios across Malta and Gozo, culminating in a vibrant artisan market under the historic arches in Floriana.
Germany: A Network of Makers
Driven by the Chambers of Skilled Crafts, a massive network of independent makers and studios will open their doors across the country. Visitors can look forward to live demonstrations, fashion shows, and deep dives into craft apprenticeships. Highlights include exquisite porcelain by Claudia Biehne in Leipzig, traditional blueprinting by Holger Starcken in Berlin, and an inspiring exhibition of Swedish glass art hosted by Handwerksform Hannover.
photo: Biehne Claudia, The Ocean in us – in progress
Portugal: From Ceramics to Painted Still Lifes
In Coimbra, CEARTE invites participants to experience the full ceramic process directly from raw clay to the finished piece. This hands on immersion offers a deeply engaging dive into traditional and contemporary making, connecting the public with the profound dedication required to master this timeless material. Further north in Porto, MACS Studio is celebrating the new season with a workshop on crafting lampshades.
Slovakia: The Evolution of Design
Taking a historical perspective, ÚĽUV presents the captivating exhibition Single Inspiration, Two Paths in Bratislava. This showcase explores the fascinating evolution of craft design in the second half of the twentieth century, highlighting how heritage techniques have continuously adapted to modern aesthetics.
Highlights Across Europe
- Azerbaijan
Arts Council Azerbaijan explores sustainability through its Second Life of Carpets workshop in Baku. More >> - Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Zenica City Museum invites visitors to discover ašikli jagluk, a refined form of gold painted courtship embroidery. More >> - Hungary
On 11 April 2026, Hungary and the wider Carpathian Basin will celebrate the XII. Folk Art Houses and Open Workshops Day, a large-scale national event held in conjunction with the European Craft Days (ECD). Organised by the Association of Hungarian Folk Artists (NESZ) under the theme With Heart and Soul, the program features nearly 30 locations, including 22 member organizations across counties like Hajdú-Bihar, Bács-Kiskun, and Győr-Moson-Sopron, where traditional craft workshops and community spaces open their doors to the public. Visitors can participate in hands-on activities such as blue-dyeing, furniture painting, pottery, and lace-making, while enjoying interactive guided tours, folk playhouses for children, and exhibitions of historical craftsmanship. This initiative offers a unique, immersive opportunity for all ages to engage directly with master artisans, preserving and reviving the living heritage of Hungarian folk art through shared creation. More >> - Poland
Natalia Komorowska presents innovative hybrid glass and ceramic sculptures at the Glass Heritage Centre in Krosno. More >>
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