Matera | Craft Tour

What a better way to get to know the local heritage and culture than through meeting young contemporary artists and artisans on the local creative scene.
Our three hour walk will take you to meet a handpicked selection of local designers and artisans that are shaping the scene.

Meet Mariella who works with recycled materials, Bruna – a young ceramicist that is following her family tradition, Giuseppe, sculptor and fifth generation papier machè artist – very important in the local artistic heritage, as well as Janna a talented Swedish jewelry designer that moved to Matera fifteen years ago .
These young entrepreneurs in the creative industry are creating a new artistic and cultural climate in Matera working in studios and botteghe between the Sassi and historical centre of town.

On request we can extend our tour to visit the Sicomoro, an extraordinary non profit organization that aims at integrating individuals into society – the NPO has a large community of ex prisoners that are rehabilitated into working society, a large number of people with downs syndrome that are given the opportunity to learn and work as well as people with certain degree of physical and mental handicap that are taught new skills. All are given the opportunity to use – free of charge – the workspace, industrial machinery and fabrics donated by a local furniture company in order to make items like bags, coasters, t-shirts that are commissioned or sold.