Crafts play a vital role in Europe’s economy and cultural fabric — fueling innovation, sustainability, and local development across regions. They are a serious economic force in Europe. The ECA annual conference, Positioning Crafts in the Contemporary Economy, will explore how the sector fuels innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth across the EU. The event co-organised by the ECA and Norwegian Crafts, will bring together guest speakers from across Europe and nearly 40 members of the ECA.
This year’s programme takes a practical look at what it means to be a craft professional in the modern economy. The sessions will explore the topic from several perspectives, from the real-world business challenges facing the sector to the power of collaboration, new ways of thinking about ‘value’, and the fusion of traditional skills with technology for economic viability.
The opening conversation with Rosa Muñoz (Ohayō) will ground the discussion in these realities, delving into recent ECA studies on market access and business resilience. Representatives from the Nordic Network of Craft Associations will share their successful model for regional collaboration, followed by a presentation from historian Christina Zetterlund challenging traditional metrics by arguing for the importance of craft’s social and cultural capital. The conference will also feature a panel with craftspeople, including Kristina Austi (Digital weaving), and Raquel Buj (fashion), who will showcase how new technologies can be integrated with traditional skills to create innovative and economically viable work.
The conference is designed to be interactive – via Youtube live stream and Mentimeter we will gather questions from both in-person and online attendees for the live Q&A session with all speakers.
It is open to all and free to attend. We invite you to view the full programme and register to attend.
The ECA Annual Conference 2025 is part of the CraftsNet project, co-funded by the European Union.
La Hulpe, Belgium