European Arts and Crafts Day: Saxony at the forefront

Saxony wants to highlight the skills of its creative people at the European Arts and Crafts Days. From next Friday to Sunday, around 200 artisans will open their studios, workshops, studios and stores to guests, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced. This makes Saxony the most strongly represented state in Germany. The range of objects on display extends from jewelry and fashion to Easter and Christmas decorations, sculptures and furniture. The exhibition is also intended to interest young people in a career in this sector.

Craftsmanship continues to develop tradition

"Our Saxon craftsmanship stands for creativity, perfection, diligence and regional commitment. It does not rest on its laurels, but continues to develop tradition - always with a flair for innovative, contemporary ideas," emphasized Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Panter (SPD). The industry creates identity and contributes to a positive perception of Saxony. The opportunity to discover an exciting training occupation, talk to craftspeople and try it out for yourself is nowhere as great as at the weekend's event.

Creative industries an important branch in Saxony

In Saxony, more than 1,600 companies and 1,300 small businesses with a total of around 10,800 employees are attributed to the arts and crafts sector as part of the creative industries. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, they generate an annual turnover of around 800 million euros. The entire creative industries, from architecture and design to arts and crafts, the music industry, press, software/games and advertising, employ around 81,000 people in around 9,800 companies and 16,000 small businesses. In 2023, turnover in this sector amounted to almost 4.8 billion euros.

The European Arts and Crafts Days take place annually in April in 24 European countries. In Germany, ten federal states are taking part in the long weekend of open workshops this year: in addition to Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Thuringia.