Figures compiled last year by the Crafts Council showed there were 11,620 craft businesses in the UK, with 43,000 employees. However this phenomenon is taking place all around the world. In today´s increasingly virtual world, making things by hand using centuries-old techniques, traditional crafts provided with a new design approach are fulfilling the market of online business and also starts-ups. The main goal of the cycle Global Exchange of Crafts Makers is to promote exchanges and dialogue between different crafts makers around the world with the aim, in one hand, of identifying the challenges and opportunities of this promising creative sector in future economies, in the other hand, promoting a dialogue and transmission of know-how between traditional and innovative artisans, between senior and young generations. Indeed, in today´s increasingly virtual world, making things by hand using centuries-old techniques, traditional crafts provided with a new design approach are fulfilling the market of online business and also starts-ups. In this context, crafts are also used as language for gentle protest and social change. Indeed, Craftivism is a form of activism addressing anti-capitalism, environmentalism, feminism or any other social issue or cause. Centered on practices of handicrafts, craftivism includes various forms of needlework among many other as ceramics, screen-printing, paperwork, wood, glass, illustration, etc. In this framework, Dialogue Café Association and its members in Novi Pazar, Rio de Janeiro and Lisbon, are organising a session on Craftivism with the aim of sharing information about initiatives using crafts a powerful tool for gentle protest, social change, collective empowerment, personal development, but also action, expression and networking. During the session experts, makers and organisations from Serbia, Portugal and Brasil will be invited to present their knowledge, resources and share their experiences. Programme Dialogue Café Lisbon (Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation - Room 3) - Sónia Domingos, Guerrilha Crochet Yarn Bomb Society - Maria Conceição Pires, Projeto "Hora d'avó", Light Factory Shop - Ana Torradinhas, Craftivista, Colectivo Metamorfilia - Teresa Carvalheira, Fashion Revolution Dialogue Café Novi Pazar (Centar Duga): - Dajana Petrović, mural painter and street artist - Naida Gicić i Adaleta Nikšić, owners " Četkice", small creative business Special connection from Argentina: - Gugui Cebey, Textil Artist and Craftivist REGISTRATION & CONTACTS Dialogue Café Lisbon / Dialogue Café Association - Dalia Sendra (daliasendra@casadoregalo.pt) Dialogue Café Rio de Janeiro – Nina Kertzman (dcafe.rio@gmail.com) Dialogue Café Novi Pazar – Fatima Durovic (fatimadurovic@gmail.com)
