This year’s programme explores how craft is increasingly integrated into public health, community care, and rehabilitation. The sessions will explore this from several perspectives, from premiering a major new European study (Crafting Health and Wellbeing) to hearing directly from practitioners who are using crafts to build professional pathways in social inclusion and recovery programmes.
Speakers include researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, alongside experts from Craft-Psychology, Lisio Silk Art Foundation, Cometa Formazione, APS Pandora ceramist artists, Célia Macedo Ceramics, and La Nuova Tinaia APS. The conference will be officially opened by Ana Cristina Mendes (President of the ECA), Lorenzo Becattini (President & CEO of Firenze Fiera), and Elisa Guidi (General Coordinator of Artex).
The event is free and open for all to attend on-site or online! The conference will be held in English.
Read articles about crafts and health
Our hands can give us a break
When schools put a greater emphasis on creativity, the students’ well-being improves. The artist in-residence programme can contribute to that, says maker and psychologist Anne Kirketerp. But a structured approach is crucial.
Published: 21-02-2023
Can crafts and craftsmanship improve our health?
Yes, is the general answer, but how can the health benefits of working with our hands be documented? And why is this necessary? The healthcare system demands evidence, and it is not enough to simply describe experiences – the effects must be measurable. This is being investigated by a team of researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, Absalon University College, UCN University College and The Parker Institute.
Published: 28-10-2025
