Today I’m stopping by to share an event I went to last week and to share some of the resources from it. I’m sure it’s a subject many of you here will share my interest in; the wellbeing benefits of crafting. It may come as a surprise to any active crafter that there’s any doubt about such benefits, but there are some people out there (hint, probably non-crafters) who still don’t get it.
The event was the annual conference of the European Crafts Alliance entitled ‘Crafting Wellbeing: Practices, Communities and the Power of Making’ and it brought together craft practitioners and researchers from around Europe in Florence. It was hosted by MIDA (Mostra Internazionale Dell’Artignanato) the largest craft fair in Europe which was celebrating its 90th Anniversary.
The conference was open to all and the combination of it being so close and being part of MIDA made it the perfect opportunity to combine the 2 for a great day out, even if it meant an early start at the train station. It proved well worth the lack of sleep!
The conference opened with a presentation of a pan European, multi-method, research project undertaken by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, which concluded that European countries are under-utilising crafts a powerful public health resource and outlined a comprehensive set of recommendations to remedy this situation. The study drew on questionnaire and interviews to produce both quantitative and qualitative findings.
As a qualitative researcher I’ve picked to a couple of quotes from study participates that really resonated with me.
“I would say there’s the physical, mental and social aspect of it, where there’s the physical feeling and tactile and sensual benefits of crafting. And then there’s a calming of the mind. Mental health benefits, I believe very strongly in, and almost meditative in certain crafts.”
“I think, a greater connection to something that’s bigger than themselves. So sometimes that is connecting with the wool, and especially if they’re connecting to Irish wool and the story of [Local, anonymised] wool and the sheep and the land, they begin to connect and they begin to understand their place within more of a universal setting. And again, that could be a connection to a spirit, that could be a connection to a more universal theme. But they begin to realise that they are part of a much broader and wider system, again, giving them a sense of place, giving them a sense of belonging and beginning to give them a sense of connection. So that would be the three things that I see the in the immediate community and then the kind of greater, grander scheme or picture.”
If you want to explore the report it’s free to download
In the next session 3 presenters/projects shared their experience of the transformative potential of craft:
Case Study 1: Craft as a Life Path: Restoring Dignity through Craftsmanship
With Giovanni Battista Figini (School Director, Cometa Formazione – Oliver Twist School, Como, Italy)
This was really interesting, showing how the project developed from a small initiative to help young people into a whole artisan infrastructure within a locality.
Case Study 2: Career Change: Craft as a Tool for Creative Recovery
With Célia Macedo (Founder and Maker, Célia Macedo Ceramics, Portugal)
Célia’s ceramics are truly inspiring – ceramics is the one craft I cannot do but absolutely adore!
Special shout out to the community pottery in Sheffield that supported Célia when she was working in the area and sowed the seed that a career in ceramics was possible.
Case Study 3: Therapeutic Intervention & Professional Craft Training for Social Inclusion
With Annalisa Apicella (Artist, Designer, Pandora Member & Interpreter, APS Pandora ceramist artists – ETS | APS Pandora artiste ceramiste – ETS, Salerno, Italy), joined by Anna Rita Fasano (President, APS Pandora ceramist artists – ETS | APS Pandora artiste ceramiste – ETS, Salerno, Italy)
What Anna Rita has achieved in developing a ceramics programme, developing expertise and livelihoods for people with diverse challenges is quite incredible. All the more so for doing so in the south of Italy where state supported social infrastructure is notable only for its absence. Annalisa did a sterling job presenting in English and translating during the questions.
After a break for a much needed coffee and 10 minutes in the sunshine we were treated to a dialogue between Dr. Anne Kirketerp of Craft-Psychology and Elena Baistrocchi General Manager of the Lisio Silk Art Foundation which continues the tradition of silk weaving for which Florence is famous.
Knitters may be familiar with Anne Kirketerp from her book ‘Craft-Psychology’ or from her appearance on the knitting podcast Fruity Knitting
The conference finished up with a round table focussed on next steps.
If you’re interested the event was live-streamed and is now available on YouTube. The different sections are time stamped so you can watch it in chunks if you don’t have 3 1/2 hours to watch it in one sitting. Although if you’ve got your knitting with you…. I got quite a bit of a forthcoming pattern knitted up during the conference.
The ECA also has an upcoming NEB Webinar: The Role of Craft in Wellbeing Across Life Stages, 10th June that may also be of interest.
After the conference we grabbed some lunch and then went and made our own contribution to the liquidity of the local craft sector at the stand of a wonderful jeweller we discovered last year.
Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief round-up of the event and if you do get chance to dip into the resources, I really would recommend it. I’d especially recommend if you’re involved in projects that use craft to promote wellbeing or want to show the evidence base for this link to encourage investment and resource allocation in this direction. When I worked in public health I ran a knitting and crochet group alongside a key volunteer and friend in a local Women’s Centre for women affected by substance misuse and domestic violence. It really is quite remarkable the difference engagement in craft can make even in the most troubled and challenging lives.
On that thought I’ll leave you and wish you all the best for the weekend. I hope you find a little restorative crafting time.
All the best,
Tess xxx
Additional resources from the publicity table:
Formkraft.dk – Journal and resource for arts, crafts and design in Denmark
Stockholm Craft Week – 30 Sept- 4 Oct 2026