Applications are now open for ART.HE, Artisanat & Héritage, a project that brings together Italian and French artistic artisans in a free training program across the Western Alps. This is a concrete opportunity for those working with wood, stone, ceramics, glass, textiles, metals, and jewelry: learn how to build a sustainable business, tell the story of your craft, and find new markets across borders. One year of training, two in-person workshops—one in Piedmont and one in Provence—and a cross-border professional network designed to last beyond the end of the project.

Why this project and why now

Artistic craftsmanship is a living heritage of the Western Alps, but it is undergoing a silent crisis: generational turnover is struggling to take hold, and young people choosing this path often find themselves alone when facing the challenges of communication, the market, and economic sustainability. ART.HE was born from this observation and a simple logic: the Italian and French territories of the Western Alps share landscapes, supply chains, traditions, and challenges. Building a cross-border professional network among their artisans is not only possible, it is the most effective response.

What the project offers

A free training program divided into three phases. It begins on June 6-7, 2026, with an in-person weekend between Dronero and Saluzzo, during the historic Fiera degli Acciugai: two days of photographic trekking in the area, practical lessons on visual communication and artisanal identity, and a collective exhibition in the historic center of Dronero open to the public of the Fair, with the opportunity for each participant to display and sell their work. It continues from September 2026 to April 2027 with eight months of online evening training, which can be followed from home, covering five thematic areas: identity and market, digital communication, territory and sustainability, regulations and financing, and language and exchange of best practices. The program concludes in the summer of 2027 with a three-day workshop in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, including visits to the Villages et Cités de Caractère, meetings with local artisans recognized with the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label, and the public presentation of the bilingual digital catalog created during the training. A certificate of participation is issued at the end.

Who can apply

The project is aimed at artisans from the Province of Cuneo active in the following sectors: wood, stone, ceramics, glass, textiles, metals, and jewelry. Young people in professional training or apprenticeship programs may also participate. Youth will be a rewarding criterion during the selection phase. Availability to follow the entire program, including the two in-person workshops, is required.

When and how to apply

Applications must be submitted by May 21, 2026. The application form is available upon request from the project coordinator.

For information and to receive the application form:

Arianna Di Paolo | 389 214 4782 | arianna.dipaolo@afpdronero.it

https://www.afpdronero.it/servizi-al-territorio/arthe-artisanat-heritage/

A free training program divided into three phases. It begins on June 6-7, 2026, with an in-person weekend between Dronero and Saluzzo, during the historic Fiera degli Acciugai: two days of photographic trekking in the area, practical lessons on visual communication and artisanal identity, and a collective exhibition in the historic center of Dronero open to the public of the Fair, with the opportunity for each participant to display and sell their work. It continues from September 2026 to April 2027 with eight months of online evening training, which can be followed from home, covering five thematic areas: identity and market, digital communication, territory and sustainability, regulations and financing, and language and exchange of best practices. The program concludes in the summer of 2027 with a three-day workshop in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, including visits to the Villages et Cités de Caractère, meetings with local artisans recognized with the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label, and the public presentation of the bilingual digital catalog created during the training. A certificate of participation is issued at the end.

The project

ART.HE, Artisanat & Héritage, is funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg VI-A France-Italy ALCOTRA 2021-2027 Program. It is carried out in partnership between the Local Development Agency of AFP, Azienda Formazione Professionale S.c.a.r.l. of Dronero (lead partner) and SMVCC, Syndicat Mixte Villages et Cités de Caractère of Digne-les-Bains (French partner).