The EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR HERITAGE CRAFTS AND PROFESSIONS was promoted by the Council of Europe in the seventies and has been operating for over thirty years in the area of professional training. It specialises in the areas of restoration and conservation of architectural heritage, as well as artistic craft-making.
The international profile of the Centre, managed from 2008 by the Fondazione(now Associazione) Villa Fabris and promoted by the SMEs and Craft Association Vicenza Province, ensures that its students and participating companies can take part in highly recognised training courses in an environment that supports and encourages the exchange of experiences and the development of relations among international craftsmen.
The European Centre gives concrete form to the rules in modern international charters and allows broad reflection on integrated conservation, the limits in the application of its principles, the trends in each country and the most appropriate working techniques.
The importance of a cultural approach to the intangible heritage is emphasized daily in the multidisciplinary training modules and in the workshops to increase and share the awareness of being active participants.
The safeguard of old skills and abilities is also crucial to fully understand the value of artistic craftsmanship declining ancient methods in creative forms and enhancing the manual knowledge in modern forms such as experiential tourism.
Training activities are complemented with a steady cooperation with Confartigianato Vicenza in the field of artistic handicrafts, today supported with modern tools such as themed exhibitions, cultural and experiential tourism, electronic market and public events to demonstrate manual skills to the large public.
