THE CRAFT LAB PROJECT PRESENTED AT THE PINO PASCALI FOUNDATION
The launching conference of the cross-border cooperation project "CRAFT LAB - Residences on the way from products to the Adri-Ionian design" took place today in Polignano a Mare, at the headquarters of the Pino Pascali Foundation. The project lead partner is the Pino Pascali Foundation with two Italian partners, the National Confederation of Crafts and Small and Medium Enterprises of Bari and the Puglia Region-Department of Economic Development, Innovation, Education, Training, Work and two Greek partners, the Regional Union of Municipalities of the Ionian Islands and the Chamber of Lefkada. Associated partner is the Municipal Gallery of Corfu. The CRAFT LAB project is funded on Axis 1 “Innovation and competitiveness” of the Interreg Greece-Italy 2014-2020 Programme. During the press conference it was possible to deepen the objectives and activities of the project and meet the partners.
"Puglia Region is proud to participate in the project CRAFT LAB, since the aims of the project are in line with the regional objectives of enhancing the professionalism and skills in a sector such as craftsmanship, fundamental for the Apulian economy. Just in these days, Regional Council has approved a law which disciplines the apprenticeship and contains the rules on "Bottega scuola" project. Among the objectives of the new law is the professional requalification as well as the enhancement of ancient crafts so that generational turnover can take place and those crafts at risk of extinction can be safeguarded which, perpetuating the ancient processing techniques over time, constitute a precious historical and cultural testimony to pass on to future generations. Regional policies therefore aim to encourage " Bottega scuola" project and artisan businesses operating in the sector of artistic, traditional and tailor-made clothing recognized by the Region. The figure of the "master craftsman" is therefore perfectly consistent with the aims of the CRAFT LAB project which intends to strengthen cross-border cultural and productive cooperation practices, stimulating the start-up of innovative creative workshops that recover ancient crafts in the ceramic, mosaic and fabric sectors". - Teresa Lisi, Technical Manager of the project for the Puglia Region – Department of Economic Development, Innovation, Education, Training and Work
“The Pino Pascali Foundation was glad to be able to host the two-day meeting of the CRAFT LAB project as lead partner and to meet all the partners involved in the project, which aims to encourage youth entrepreneurship and the birth of start-ups rediscovering ancient professions and crafts in the ceramic, mosaic and fabric sector, enhancing the artistic heritage and common cultural identity between Puglia and Greece.” - Rosalba Branà, director of the Pino Pascali Foundation.
"The CRAFT LAB project is one of the 41 projects financed by the first call of the Interreg Greece-Italy Programme for a total of approximately 53.600.000 million euros and involves 191 partners among Regions, Municipalities, Universities, Chambers of Commerce, Port Authorities, Centers of Research and Non-profit Organizations of Puglia Region and of the three Greek Regions participating in the program (Region of Epirus, Region of Ionian Islands and Region of Western Greece)." - Gianfranco Gadaleta, Coordinator of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg Greece-Italy Programme.
