The Excellence of Crafts
European Crafts Alliance’s Showcase of European Crafts
“Craft is where art meets material—where hands shape stories, traditions, and emotion into form. This selection brings together pieces that reveal the quiet beauty, depth, and imagination at the heart of European craftsmanship.”
Welcome to a vibrant celebration of European crafts, showcasing standout works discovered over three years of the CRAFTING project. This curated selection highlights exceptional pieces chosen through open calls across Europe, reflecting the diversity, talent, and creativity shaping contemporary craft today.
Explore works featured at major events like Révélations 2023 in Paris, CONTEMPORANIA 2023 in Barcelona, the FUSION 2024 Biennial of Contemporary Glass Jewellery, and the MAESTRIA – European Prize for Applied Arts 2024. Each piece tells a story of dedication, sustainability, and the blending of traditional and modern techniques—offering a glimpse into the rich artistic landscape of Europe’s crafts. Through quotes from the makers themselves, the showcase also offers a personal window into how craftspeople see, feel, and understand their work.
Révélations 2023
At Révélations 2023, the International Biennial of Crafts and Creation in Paris organised by Ateliers d’Art de France, ECA showcased nine pieces selected through an open call that attracted over 300 applications, exemplifing the high calibre of craft practice across Europe. They offer a journey through diverse materials, from ceramics and glass to textiles, metal, and repurposed plastics, each piece revealing a unique story of process and expression.
Artists showcased at Révélations 2023 include: Elly Glossop, Elysia Athanatos, Helen O’Shea, Helena Schepens, Joaquim Falcó & Meritxell Tembleque, Leonie Burkhardt, Maria Pratas, Saar Scheerlings, and Simone Post.
CONTEMPORANIA 2023
At CONTEMPORANIA 2023, Barcelona’s pioneering high craftsmanship fair, the ECA showcased a collection of works by eleven artists. This exhibition vividly demonstrated an extraordinary standard of contemporary craft skills. The pieces were made using a variety of techniques, from ceramics and basketry to detailed textiles, woodwork, and glass blowing. Beyond their artistic ingenuity, these creations powerfully echoed the core principles of the European Year of Skills 2023, offering visitors an insight into the rich traditions and forward-looking visions.
Craftspeople showcased at CONTEMPORANIA 2023 include: Claudia Biehne, Caroline Harrius, Zoe Hillyard, Esmé Hofman, Noemi Iglesias, Yukiko Kitahra, Joao Manardu, Cristina Mariani, Baptiste Meyniel, Melissa Sammalvaara, and Yuliia Yalanzhy.
FUSION 2024 – Biennial of Contemporary Glass Jewellery
FUSION 2024 Biennial of Contemporary Glass Jewellery, showcases standout work from across Europe. From 171 entries by 87 artists in 26 countries, a jury selected 50 pieces by 30 creators from 12 countries. Organized by MAVA, Fundesarte, and ECA, the exhibition highlights glass jewellery inspired by nature, identity, and sustainability. The works blend personal stories with innovative techniques and materials, featuring borosilicate, Murano, lampwork, and fused glass, often combined with silver, steel, and other metals. Using methods like casting, fusing, and coldworking, the exhibition captures the creativity and skill of both emerging and established artists, reflecting the vitality of Europe’s glass jewellery scene today.
The selected creators for FUSION 2024 include Alice – Elena Protopopescu, Ana Belén Pérez Rubio, AGAPURNI (Andrés Belloví Agost y Patricia Naranjo Pérez), Bella Carlos, Caroline Friedman, Caterina Zucchi, Cova Rios, Esperanza Pascual Fonollosa, Eva Pestotnik, Fiona Byrne & Eve Doyle, Jeanne-Sophie Aas, Joanna Muzyka, Katerina Krotenko, Mare Saare, Maribel Navarro Nieto, Meta Mramor, Michael Berger, Michele Burato, Miguel Bañuls Maciá, Nuria Torrente Piqueras, Oles Tsura, Renato Arnejčič, Róisín de Buitléar, Rosa Navarro, Rosa Nogués Freixas, Saskia Bostelmann, Sina Mendler, Susana Martín Martínez, Teodora Nikolova, and Xiaozhe Huang.
MAESTRIA
European Prize for Applied Arts 2024
The sixth edition of the European Prize for Applied Arts was renamed MAESTRIA: European Prize for Applied Arts 2024, presented by BeCraft. The exhibition featured a vibrant selection of contemporary applied arts pieces, bringing together around 100 unique works by 58 artists from 16 European countries. The pieces were chosen through a Europe-wide open call that drew over 500 applications. The works presented, spanning diverse materials like ceramics, glass, metal, wood, paper, and modern jewellery, demonstrated exceptional technical mastery and aesthetic innovation. They powerfully illustrated how today’s makers are pushing boundaries, blending ancient traditions with contemporary creativity and novel techniques.
Two projects received special recognition for their excellence: Emilie Palle Holm received an award from the Ministry of Culture of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, while Lotte Westphael received the ECA award for her piece.
CRAFTING project was co-funded by the European union.