The initiative dubbed ‘Manifesto for the Future of Craftsmanship’ is being developed by a group of six craftswomen, according to Célia Macedo, one of the promoters and a potter in Montemor-o-Novo, Évora district.
Célia Macedo emphasized that the manifesto will allow an analysis of the sector’s “health status,” followed by presenting proposals and measures to decision-makers that could enhance craftsmanship in Portugal.
“Craftsmanship is taxed at 23%” through Value Added Tax (VAT), Macedo pointed out, questioning why this persists when other art sectors are taxed at 6%, identifying this as a significant issue.
The initiative leader reiterated that the manifesto will serve as a “tool for visibility, appreciation, and advocacy,” crafted by those who understand the sector from within and will impact the future of craftsmanship in Portugal.
“At a time when the safeguarding and significance of craftsmanship are frequently discussed, this is a way to actively engage and contribute to the conversation, which often marginalizes artisans,” she asserted.
According to Macedo, the initiative’s promoters are dissatisfied with various sector aspects, prompting them to initiate a thorough investigation as they felt their voices were ignored by governing entities.
“We tried to determine if we alone identified the problems or if other artisans shared our concerns, so we designed a questionnaire and launched a social media campaign,” she explained.
This potter detailed that the questionnaire, aimed at artisans in Portugal and available online until the end of this month at forms.gle/p3wNjw2QmKNfzwqP7, is the first step towards drafting the manifesto.
Once the deadline concludes, “we will analyze everything, draft a preliminary version, which will be sent back for validation by those who filled out the form, and only then will we have a final version of the document,” she mentioned.
Highlighting that around 350 responses have been received so far, Célia Macedo deemed this a “very good” number, stating that “approaching an entity individually is very different from doing so with the support of 350 people.”
“The initiative is also sparking interest among some organizations, even outside Portugal, which are already sharing it, likely aware of the sector’s challenges,” she stressed.
The ‘Manifesto for the Future of Craftsmanship’ is expected to be publicly presented in October or November this year.
