CLAY project – Interreg Europe: From the Good Practices to the Action Plans

copertina

The fourth meeting of CLAY – Interreg Europe project was held

in Caldas da Rainha, Coimbra and Aveiro (Portugal) 

on February 19 and 20, 2020

February 19 and 20, 2020 – The CLAY (Cross Sector support for Innovative and Competitive Artistic Ceramic SMEs) partnership meeting was held in February 2020 in Portugal, between the cities of Caldas da Rainha, Coimbra and Aveiro.

The partners (from Italy, Finland, France, Portugal, Romania and Spain) studied the situation of the ceramic field in Portugal, thanks to the precious support of the Portuguese partner CTCV and of the Portuguese Association of Cities and Villages of Ceramics (AptCVC).

The first morning of the transnational meeting was held in the important ceramic art school and polytechnic of ESAD. CR (https://www.ipleiria.pt/esadcr/en/) and the session was opened by Maria Conceicao Jardim Pereira, Deputy Mayor of Caldas da Rainha; Celia Batalha Fernandes, Deputy Mayor of the city of Mafra and President of the Portuguese Association of Ceramic Cities and Villages; Joao Dos Santos, ESAD.CR Director and José Luis da Silva, director of the Portuguese Association of Ceramic Cities and Villages. Partners and stakeholders shared presentations about Portuguese ceramics, innovative methodologies and results in the field of training, research and development, new start ups and workshops.

The morning closed with an interesting round table with a focus on new ways to attract young students in the ceramic field, thanks to a close link between tradition and innovation, which saw the participation of the presidents of Aveiro University, of the School of Arts and Design Caldas da Rainha, of the Training Center for Crafts and Heritage and of the Profissional Training Center for the Ceramic Industry.

round table

The meeting included study visits to understand the ceramic sector in the Centro region of Portugal, with a focus on:

  • Braz Gil Studio – Porcelain Manifacture – BrazGil Studio is a familiar manufacture showing self identity on that artistic approach to history themes and Portuguese culture – https://brazgil.pt/

braz gil

  • Perpétua, Pereira & Almeida, Lda – The cornerstone of “S. Bernardo”, has always been and continues to be, creativity, innovation and designcombined with research and product development – https://ppa-sbernardo.com/

s bernardo

During the second day of the transnational meeting, the project partners and stakeholders focused on understanding how good practices can be a useful tool to modify and implement a political objective to respond to the needs highlighted: the partners need to undertake regional work on policy analysis by discussing potential good practices, from other partners, to be imported into their regions.

The second part of the day was dedicated to a study visit in the premises of the hosting partner, CTCV, and to Vista Alegre Atlantis – VAA (https://vistaalegre.com/eu/).

vista alegre

The further steps of the project will see the partners concluding the organization of mid-term communication events and choosing the good practice to use in order to implement an action plan which will lead to the implementation of a policy in favour of the art and craft ceramic sector.

The next project meeting will be held in Horezu (Romania), in June 2020, and the partners will present the good practice selected.

Meanwhile, at the end of March, there will be a virtual meeting which aims at illustrating all the good practices presented by the various partners in order to allow everyone to identify the best one for the event in Romania.

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More on CLAY project

CLAY aims at supporting the ceramic sector by prioritising new technologies, strengthening brands and developing new services to maintain competitive advantage and face the challenge of globalisation. The interregional exchange will help CLAY partners to improve regional programmes and policy instruments that can strengthen tradition and boost innovation in the artistic ceramic sector.

The CLAY project gathers 5 regions which have both important ceramics traditions and innovative small and medium enterprises, and uses interregional exchange to identify solutions to the challenge of matching tradition and innovation, by improving regional programmes for innovation.

The CLAY project is implemented by 6 partners:

  • Regione Umbria / Regional Government of Umbria (Lead Partner – Italy);
  • AEuCC – Agrupaciòn Europea de Cooperaciòn Territorial Ciudades de la Ceramica, AECT limitada / European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation Cities of Ceramic, EGTC with limited liability (Advisory Partner, legally based in Spain, with headquarters in Italy);
  • ADRSV – Agentia pentru Dezvoltare Regionala Sud Vest Oltenia / Regional Development Agency South West Oltenia (Romania);
  • Etelä-Pohjanmaan liitto / Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia (Finland);
  • CTCV Centro Tecnológico da Cerâmica e do Vidro / CTCV Technological Centre for Ceramics and Glass (Portugal);
  • Association pour le développement et la promotion du pôle européen de la céramique / Association for the development and promotion of the european ceramic center (France).

www.interregeurope.eu/clay/ 

Facebook | www.facebook.com/clayeurope/ 

Linkedin | www.linkedin.com/company/interreg-clay/ 

Instagram | www.instagram.com/clayeurope/ 

Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjqhhDmo5HmXfnI9a-Bd4RA 

Press office

Giuseppe Olmeti (AEuCC) | giuseppe.olmeti@romagnafaentina.it

Elisa Emiliani (AEuCC)  | elisa.emiliani.86@gmail.com