CRAFT-TOUR combines grants, mentoring and collaboration to help craftspeople move from idea to implementation.
For many artisans, the challenge is not a lack of skill. It is the gap between a good idea and the support needed to turn it into a stronger business offer. That may involve product development, digital marketing, packaging, branding or links with tourism actors who can bring new visibility.
CRAFT-TOUR is designed to close that gap. The project will use open calls to provide direct support to craftspeople and small artisanal SMEs, including lump-sum grants with a 100% funding rate, as well as tailored mentoring and access to a European collaboration network.
That combination matters. A small workshop may have the expertise to produce excellent work, but not the time or capacity to manage digital outreach, tourism partnerships or strategic promotion on its own. In practice, promising ideas often stall at that point.
The project’s response is deliberately hands-on. Business support organisations in Italy, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Finland and Estonia will guide applicants and beneficiaries through the process. A wider consortium of chambers, tourism bodies, researchers and specialist partners adds further expertise, ensuring the support is practical rather than generic.
One of the project’s strengths is that it does not treat craft as an isolated activity. It recognises that stronger products become more valuable when they are linked to visitor experiences, local storytelling and market access. That is why the collaboration platform is such a central part of the project, creating a space where artisans can connect across borders and exchange ideas.
There is also a more human reason for this approach. The craft sector faces an ageing workforce, and many traditional skills are at risk of being lost if they are not passed on. By pairing funding with mentoring, the project gives artisans a better chance not just to survive, but to continue with confidence.
In that sense, CRAFT-TOUR is less about a one-off intervention and more about building capacity. It tries to make craft businesses stronger, more visible and better connected so that they can stand on firmer ground after the project ends.