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Within the Crafthub project Materahub, together with local practitioners, has curated the development of bespoke workshops to promote craft with a diverse public including locals, tourists, students and underrepresented or marginalised groups.
It was particularly important to reach out to the local schools to hopefully stimulate new passions and the potential craft practitioners of the future.
Secondary school students from the local Art School ‘Liceo Artistico I.I.S. E. Duni – C. Levi’ participated in a number of the ‘Meet-ink – Carve, ink and print!’ workshops designed by a Team Art Studio, a creative activity that merges graphic design with artistic manual craftsmanship bringing together the manual technique of linocut printing and the design basics of visual perception of shape and colour dedicated to the creation of one’s own personal colour index.
Primary school students participated in the Creative Recycling workshop designed by local practitioners Veronica Scardillo and Giorgia Garofalo, an activity that explores how to give new life to waste materials coming from large-scale industry and communicate the importance of creating a sustainable and circular economy. This workshop has found a simple solution by creating works of art, using symbols that reflect the local heritage of Matera.
Middle school students are currently following a journey on the creative potential of 3d printing thanks to the Crafthub project and collaboration with a local recovery community for addiction, the ‘Comunità Emmanuel Centre’ in Salandra, close to Matera.
Local electronics enthusiast, Emanuele D’Agostino, during his time in the community, became interested in 3D printing techniques and with the help of crowdfunding was able to purchase a printer. He went on to build 2 more printers and self-studied online to obtain an ‘Autocad’ certification (Train the Trainer) on 3D printing.
This gave Materahub the opportunity to engage Emanuele as a professional trainer to deliver workshops to students in a local middle school, the ‘Istituto Comprensivo Pascoli Matera’, to students specialising in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The workshop includes a testimonial element, describing his passion and curiosity for electronics, the technical and creative side of 3D printing together with hands-on experience and the creation of customised objects.
This workshop gives Emanuele an opportunity to harness new skills and reintroduce himself into the working environment, but also, deliver an important message to local students on the values and potential of actions in support of social inclusion and the process of ensuring equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their background, so that they can achieve their full potential in life.