MADE IN Basketry Summer School
The summer school, organized by Passa Ao Futuro at Loulé Criativo in Portugal from 22 July to 3 August 2024, explores traditional Portuguese basket weaving with guidance from master craftspeople and designers. Over 100 applicants from 21 countries highlight its appeal and focus on merging tradition with contemporary design.
About
22 Jul – 3 Aug 2024 | Loulé, Portugal | Passa Ao Futuro
Craftspeople: Cristina Fonseca, Isabel Martins, Isidoro Ramos, Sonia Mendez, Nuno Henriques (Toino Abel)
Designers: Henrique Ralheta & Astrid Suzano
The summer school is organized by Passa Ao Futuro and will be hosted at Loulé Criativo in Loulé, Portugal. Over the course of two weeks, participants will explore five traditional raw materials (bulrush, baracejo, esparto, palm and soft-rush) and their associated techniques, guided by the expertise of five Portuguese master craftspeople and two design mentors. Participants were chosen from an open call aimed at younger generations of creatives, which received over 100 applications from 21 countries, attesting to the interest and appeal of the intersections between tradition and contemporary design. This program fosters the creation of new, inspired works in crafts.
5 master craftspeople and materials they create in:
Cristina Fonseca, bulrush
Isabel Martins, baracejo / bracejo
Isidoro Ramos, esparto
Sonia Mendez, palm
Nuno Henriques (Toino Abel), soft-rush
Open Call Update
The summer school’s open call for submissions closed on 12 May and has received significant interest from students and recent graduates from all over Europe.
Passa Ao Futuro received 100 valid applications from 21 different countries (PT, ES, DE, GR, IT, HR, FR, CH, UK, RS, SI, BE, LV, AU, AT, SK, DK, CZ, SW, PL & BR), with the majority of applicants coming from Portugal, Germany, France, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia.
Students and recent graduates of architecture, design, and crafts showed a diverse array of perspectives and skills, promising an exciting summer school and intriguing results. The selected participants will be notified of the selection by the end of May 2024.
-
Junco, photo: Jenna Duffy / Passa Ao Futuro
-
Palm, photo: Pedro Arsenio / Passa Ao Futuro
Open Call
Deadline for applications: 12 May 2024
OVERVIEW
This summer school is a funded 2 weeks intensive workshop taking place at Loulé Criativo in Loulé, Portugal. Design, architecture and craft students or recently graduates are invited to explore with five traditional Portuguese basket weaving raw-materials and its techniques to co-create a series of new pieces with five Portuguese master craftspeople guided by two design mentors. The objective is to push the boundaries of what these techniques can be used for in the twenty-first century in a beautiful, intelligent and compelling way. The Summer School will be held in the context of the Made In Platform for Contemporary Crafts & Design EU project and the results will be shown in an exhibition in Loulé Criativo as well as in Lisbon at the end of 2024 in a place to be determined.
WHO CAN APPLY
— Over 18 years old at time of application that are architecture, design or craftsmanship students or young graduates (less than a year since graduation)
— Good knowledge of English
— Be able to attend the whole course
— Live in Europe and be able to travel in Europe
AIM
To bring innovation to basketry craft by uniting a younger generation with basket weavers and design mentors. The structure of the Summer School fosters the development of collaborative creative proposals by taking advantage of the aesthetic as well as functional characteristics of the different raw materials.
MINDSET
It is important to acknowledge that craftspeople are creative collaborators and teachers. They are experts and are involved in the creative process with the participants. This is an opportunity for both participants and craftspeople to dive into an informed collaborative experimentation.
Craftspeople and participants will be guided throughout the summer school by the design team who are also there to guarantee goals of excellence are achieved.
OUTCOMES
Participants have the opportunity to learn from craftspeople and design mentors, practice a collaborative design process and explore a series of techniques that will enrich the development of their practice. Craftspeople and participants will be able to look at their practice from different perspectives and absorb a wide range of inspirations, explorations and new experiences.
The final outcome is a series of completed exhibition quality pieces.
FUNDING
Scholarships will be awarded to successful candidates by Passa Ao Futuro and will cover tuition fee, accommodation and meals of selected participants. Each participant is responsible for their own travel to and from Loulé, Portugal.
To help fund the travel costs, check out this two options: World Crafts Council Europe’s Creative Exchange Residency and EU’s Culture Moves Europe.
IMPORTANT DATES
Open call: 1 Apr – 12 May 2024
Summer School: 22 Jul – 3 Aug 2024
(arrival on 21 Jul + departure on 4 Aug)
