European Mosaic of Heritage Practitioners / Call for Expressions of Interest
At a time when many traditional skills and forms of knowledge are becoming increasingly fragile, European Heritage Volunteers is introducing the European Mosaic of Heritage Practitioner as a new format dedicated to recognising and presenting the crafts that continue to shape and sustain Europe’s cultural heritage.
The European Mosaic of Heritage Practitioners brings together craftspeople from across Europe whose work reflects heritage-related traditions that emerge in specific regions and cultural contexts. Through this initiative, the diversity, richness, and complexity of European cultural heritage become visible through concrete practical examples. The format combines live demonstrations of traditional techniques with interpretative panels presenting the history, materials, and cultural significance of each craft. Accompanied by targeted promotional activities, the initiative aims to raise awareness for crafts that are essential for heritage conservation yet often remain underrepresented.
The first edition will present ten crafts from ten different regions across Europe and is conceived as a format to be further developed and expanded in future editions. It aims to reflect the diversity of traditional crafts, present a broad range of materials and techniques, and convey the cultural wealth of Europe through practices associated with specific regional contexts.
The European Mosaic of Heritage Practitioners will be presented for the first time at “denkmal” in Leipzig, Germany, Europe’s leading fair for heritage conservation, from November 5th to November 7th, 2026.
European Heritage Volunteers invites craftspeople, organisations, and institutions dedicated to the preservation of traditional crafts to express their interest in participating.
Travel, accommodation, and board from November 4th, to November 8th, 2026, together with the transport of tools and materials, will be covered. No fee or honorarium will be provided.
Expressions of interest can be submitted from now until June 20th, 2026. Eligible applications may be submitted from countries across the wider European cultural space, as defined by the Council of Europe.
Expressions of interest shall include a description of the craft to be presented, an outline of its relevance within the respective regional or national context, and a presentation of the craftsperson, organisation, or institution submitting the expression of interest. They shall also include photographs or videos illustrating the craft and its practical application.
Expressions of interest shall be submitted by email to info@heritagevolunteers.eu. Where files exceed 20 MB, they should be shared via WeTransfer or SwissTransfer, or relevant links to the visual material may be provided instead.
