The Municipality of Caldas da Rainha announced today that the Ceramics Market Exhibition aims to “strengthen the role of Caldas da Rainha as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art.”
This initiative, according to the municipality, represents “three days of celebration of Portuguese ceramics, bringing together artisans, artists, and designers from across the country in an environment of sharing and experimentation.”
Taking place from June 20 to 22, the exhibition offers a comprehensive program combining tradition and innovation. Activities include the exhibition and sale of unique pieces at Parque D. Carlos I, alongside demonstrations of traditional and contemporary techniques, creative experiences, and live creations highlighting the expertise of master ceramists, according to the press release from the municipality.
This year’s edition also features a cultural mediation program involving creators, visitors, and residents. An example of this is a ceramics lab run by CENCAL—the Professional Training Center for the Ceramics Industry, aimed at “stimulating the interest of new generations in local ceramic heritage.”
The event will feature ceramists from municipalities that are part of the Portuguese Association of Ceramics Cities and Towns (AptCVC) and will host the collective exhibition ‘Rainha Mestra,’ a collaborative installation showcasing tiles created by participating ceramists as a tribute to the 500-year legacy of D. Leonor, the founder of Caldas da Rainha, in the district of Leiria.
The exhibition is also part of the ‘CCC Fora de Portas’ program, organized by the Caldas da Rainha Cultural and Congress Center, which includes concerts, street entertainment, puppet theater, and discussions about ceramics over these days.
Ceramists interested in participating can register until the end of May.
Entrance to the event is free of charge.
MESTRA is promoted by the municipality of Caldas da Rainha as part of the ‘UNESCO Creative Cities Central Portugal’ project, co-financed by PT2030/Centro2030, also involving the municipalities of Castelo Branco, Covilhã, Idanha-a-Nova, Leiria, and Óbidos.
