The 31 municipalities of the island can apply for organising craft fairs. To facilitate this, the Cabildo de Tenerife is providing subsidies for the municipalities aimed at hosting outdoor trade exhibitions. The total amount allocated for these grants is 100,000 euros, as published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (BOP). The percentage of the contribution awarded cannot exceed 70% of the total eligible expenses, with a maximum limit of 10,000 euros.
Purpose
The subsidies will support the installation of temporary infrastructure or the rental of booths where the exhibitors will showcase artisans’ crafts, along with the necessary elements for setting up the fair; this includes advertising and stationery which will cover the design, printing, and distribution of promotional posters and other graphic materials; preparation of banners and the procurement of advertising slots for the event and promotions on social media; security or surveillance of the venue during the event days, overnight, including the days before and after if needed, and ultimately, the dynamisation during the celebration days and the opening of the fair.
Applications
Municipalities interested in applying can obtain information regarding the regulatory frameworks and the relevant calls for this aid line by contacting the Citizen Service at 922239500, available daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., or via email at 901501901@tenteife.es, or through the electronic headquarters in the section entitled procedures and services.
Promotion
The Employment Director, Efraín Medina, emphasises that “these grants are aimed at promoting and supporting the marketing of local artisan production.” He highlights that “the objective is to reach all municipalities on the island so that the public can see and purchase the products made by our artisans from various parts of the geography.” Medina concludes: “Craftsmanship is an integral part of our unique identity and heritage; therefore, I will convene a meeting soon with all the relevant personnel on the island to enhance fair gatherings in diverse formats such as a marketing route for our innovative and traditional products.” He adds: “Actions for artisan development are being planned to further enrich the value of our products and trades.”
Plan
The Island of Tenerife, as initiated by the Cabildo, aims to promote the marketing of artisan products by supporting municipalities that organise craft fairs within their jurisdictions. This includes the island fair, which is set to celebrate its thirteenth edition in 2024, hosted by the municipality of Adeje with 19 different categories and 30 artisans. Another key event on the annual calendar is the Tricontinental Fair, which focused on Portugal last year and showcased a large exhibition with over 200 exhibitors.
Event
The Cabildo also highlighted “creativity, tradition, and identity” during the celebration of the island’s crafts held every November 22. Last year, the Tenerife Award for the promotion and investigation of crafts from Spain and America was awarded to Pablo Carpenter Arias, and recognition was given to Pedro Benítez Reyes, the Tenerife artisan renowned for his pottery work in this year’s card for artisans.
Credentials
Regarding accreditation cards, there are two annual application periods. The first runs from March 15 to April 15, and the second from September 15 to October 15. In 2024, 18 individuals achieved the status of artisans from Tenerife.
ROSETA
The Cabildo de Tenerife, through the island’s crafts company, supports the artistic, artisan, and ethnographic values of the rosette. Thus, the didactic and multisensory section of the National Museum of the Cost needle, originally from the Canary Islands, allows visitors to learn various pique or support warp techniques, production points for the rosette, and the preparation of several designs. This represents one of the oldest forms of textile art still practised on the island, aspiring for its designation as a cultural asset of interest (BIC). Furthermore, the encapsulated LAB project, a digital marketing workshop for fashion industry enterprises, is being developed at the CIFP the Indies with the cooperation of the centre and Tenerife Fashion.
