European Craft Days
Originally called The Artistic Crafts Days, ECD were created in 2002, upon the request of the French government and launched by the L’Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français to become the first international event dedicated to crafts. In 2012 they were renamed to European Artistic Crafts Days, and in 2026 the annual event adopted a clearer, stronger English title: European Craft Days. The removal of the word “Artistic” was designed to reduce language barriers, with craft being the operative word. Whether the national terminology is Métiers d’art, Artesanía, or Kunsthandwerk, the simplified English title now tells the story in a unified voice. While this English name serves as the international banner, each country is encouraged to use its own translation for their national programming.
ECD take place every year at the beginning of Spring, when craft studios, museums, factories and more open their doors to the public presenting a range of different events and activities such as: outdoor demonstrations, exhibitions, children’s workshops and more to give a unique and lively insight into the mastery and heritage of European crafts. ECD now annually engage over 1 million visitors in a single week and mobilise a network of over 10,000 events.