Author: ISABEL MARIA BOTIAS RUBIO

The European Parliament will have a traditional Murcian nativity scene made by Jesús Griñán's workshop, thus becoming the first birth in the history of the European Parliament. The president of the Community, Fernando López Miras, will attend the inauguration on November 30 at the headquarters of this European institution created in 1952, coinciding with its institutional agenda in Brussels.

In order to select the origin of the nativity scene, and despite the fact that another origin could have been chosen, the Parliament has taken into account the great tradition of nativity scene crafts in the Region, which is valued as a national and international benchmark for quality and detail of his pieces.

This historic facility has had the endorsement of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola from Malta, and the regional government's goal is to maintain it in the future, as a consolidated tradition. Thus, in terms of decoration typical of these dates, the headquarters of the European Parliament has only had a Christmas tree up to now.

Regarding the choice of a nativity scene made by Jesús Griñán, this nativity scene master from the Murcian district of Puente Tocinos is one of the great references in the sector, with numerous awards. He began as an apprentice in 1952, and since then he has exhibited his works in countries such as the United States, Japan and France. The work chosen for the European Parliament is two meters high and recreates a Bethlehem portal with the Holy Family and the Three Wise Men, as well as the architectural remains of a traditional Murcian Baroque church and the Murcia Cathedral.

Work schedule in Brussels

In addition to the inauguration of this nativity scene in the European Parliament, President Fernando López Miras will also have an intense work schedule in Brussels where, among other issues, he will speak at the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions.

Likewise, he will meet with the permanent representative ambassador of Spain to the European Union, Marcos Alonso, and will hold a meeting with the Spanish delegation of the Committee of the Regions.

López Miras's institutional agenda in Brussels also highlights the meeting he will hold with the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, where he will be able to address the situation of the sector in Spain and the Region of Murcia, as well as the different actions that the European Union is taking place in this matter.

The Belencribs Association, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts, has convened the V Murcia Region Nativity Scene Contest, in which you can participate until December 18 in the categories of schools, institutes, individuals, town halls, parishes, associations and orchard clubs.

The general director Sonia Moreno, who presented the contest today together with the president of the Belencribs Association, Jose Molero, highlighted that "through this contest, the aim is to disseminate nativity scenes as one of the most deeply rooted traditions in regional crafts, as well as increase interest in these products for the Christmas season”.

The jury, which will be made up of professionals linked to crafts and the assembly of nativity scenes, will appreciate that pieces made by regional nativity scene artisans are used in the composition. The winners of previous calls will not be able to compete.

The awards ceremony will take place on December 21 at the Murcia Regional Crafts Center.

The bases of participation can be consulted on the page www.belencribs.org. The participants, who must have their domicile in the Region, will have to send a WhatsApp to the telephone number 601250612, indicating the name of the person or entity that is presenting, the address of the nativity scene, attaching photographs, including a maximum three-minute video and the description of the nativity scene detailing who has participated in the assembly and materials used.

60 references of artisan products from the Region of Murcia are present in the new Club Gourmet gastronomic space of El Corte Inglés de Murcia and in the Barra del Gourmet. These are high-quality products such as wines, cheeses, paprika and salted meats that can be purchased and consumed.

The general director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, participated today, together with the director of Corte Inglés de Murcia, Rafael Álvarez-Ossorio, in the presentation of the new space and indicated that "Club Gourmet is a showcase for consumers to discover the quality of the artisan products that are made in the Region and can be easily acquired”.

The space has wines from the Jumilla, Yecla and Bullas denominations of origin, and among them is 'Casa Castillo Pie Franco', the only wine from the Region with 100 Parker points. You can also find products from regional suppliers that have won quality awards such as the jams from the Archivel Confituras Tradicionales company, recognized in 2021 among the ten best in the world; pickles, oils, and beers such as the artisan Cátedra Beer; salted cheeses, highly prestigious cheeses such as those from the Roano de Lorca cheese factory, which produce them with milk from their own native Murcian-Granadian goats and which has won numerous international awards, in addition to the Food Craft Award in 2020.

The Gourmet Club, which also has a bar where you can consume the products, is located on the ground floor of El Corte Inglés, next to the supermarket. It has 3,000 references and occupies an area of 300 square meters.

The creative craftsman of glass and metal Ismael Cerezo 'Flyppy' today received the Regional Craft Award at a gala held at the War Theater in Lorca and organized by the Ministry of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson. This award, with an endowment of 3,000 euros, recognizes the professional career and career of this well-known craftsman.

The Minister of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson, Valle Miguélez, highlighted that "these awards aim to institutionally recognize the most outstanding actions in crafts during this year 2022, with the aim of promoting the development and competitiveness of the self-employed and craft companies that bet on innovation and design”.

In total, distinctions have been awarded in eight categories, with a global award of 12,000 euros. The winners are: in the Artisan Product category, which recognizes artisan collections made and marketed in the last two years, Joaquín Plana Belmonte from Tictactoys with his 'Reef Game Board'; The Artisan Entrepreneurship award, which recognizes those artisans with less than five years of experience who have introduced new concepts of design and innovation in craftsmanship, has been for the guitar luthier Vael de Ginés, with 'The birth of Vael'.

The Promociona Artesanía prize for public entities, which recognizes those entities or public bodies that present programs or campaigns to promote crafts, has gone to the Murcia School of Art; the Promociona Artesanía award for private entities, which recognizes campaigns to promote crafts, went to the Salzillo Museum.

The Belén Artesano award, for those nativity scene collections made in the last two years, went to Mercedes Serrano Matas from Artesanía Serrano, with 'We bring Christmas to your home'; the Food Crafts award, where competitiveness and the final product prevail, has gone to 'La Gloria' by Andrés Mármol, with 'Dessert Alcaraz'; and the New Artisan Talents award, for students from any school or university in the Region who take courses related to crafts, went to Esther Núñez for the sustainable craft design 'Moira'.

All these awards are endowed with 1,500 euros, except for the Promociona Artesanía prize for public entities, which does not have an economic endowment.

The jury for these awards has been made up of people of recognized prestige linked to the Public Administration, the business and academic spheres that are related to crafts, and the works have also been voted on by citizens.

Among all the winners, the artisans who will participate representing the Region in the National Crafts Awards will be selected.

The Ministry of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson, through the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts, has proposed four candidates for the 2022 National Crafts Awards. These will be represented by two winning artisans of the 2021 Regional Awards who wish to opt for these awards and two other initiatives that were also winners in the Region Awards.

These awards, convened by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism through the School of Industrial Organization (EOI) and its chair for the promotion of crafts, Fundesarte, seek to highlight the work of a sector that in Spain represents 0.4 percent of GDP.

Specifically, the Region of Murcia has presented as candidates the architect and lighting designer Lucía Ciller, Regional Craft Award in the 'Product' category for her collection of customizable lamps 'Cristalina, handmade lamp'; and to the artisan María Marta Boza, Regional Craft Award in the 'Entrepreneurship' category, for her work in creative carpentry.

Likewise, the Association of Footwear and Espadrilles Industries of the Northwest, Calzia-Yute of Caravaca de la Cruz, Regional Craft Award in the category 'Promotion for Private Entities', and the Empoderarte Project, carried out by the Directorate General Directorate for Consumption and Crafts, in collaboration with the General Directorate for Women and Gender Diversity, which consists of organizing workshops for women who are victims of gender-based violence or who are likely to be, and taught by artisans with recognized experience in their respective trades . This project was awarded the Regional Craft Award in the category 'Promotion for Public Entities'.

The economic endowment of the National Craft Award amounts to 7,000 euros, the other categories are endowed with 3,000 euros and the Promociona Prize for Public Entities does not have an economic endowment.

In the National Crafts Awards, the Region of Murcia received in 2009 the highest award in the category 'Promotion for Public Entities', granted to the Craft Service of the Autonomous Community. Also, in these National Awards have been finalists over the years, among others, Pottery Project, for its lamp 'Totana'; Joaquín Plana, in the category 'Entrepreneurship; the companies Carcoma and Alfarería Martín Lario, in the 'National Award' category; and the company Zigurat Decor SL, in the 'National Award' category.

The Ministry of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson, through the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts, has published the call for subsidies for artisans and craft companies in the Region of Murcia for the year 2022, with a budget that amounts to €150,000.

Artisan companies and individual artisans who are considered micro-enterprises, dedicated to the elaboration of artisan products and whose workshop is located in the Region, may be beneficiaries of this aid.

The call was published in Official Gazette of the Region of Murcia (BORM) last Tuesday, June 21, and the deadline for submitting applications will be open until September 15. The presentation of applications will preferably be made through the Electronic headquarters of the CARM.

The budget is allocated to various lines such as, for example, innovation and design for individual artisans and craft companies; production, quality and ICT; or communication and marketing.

The subsidy to be granted will have a maximum total amount of 3,000 euros, and the maximum amount to be granted will be 50 percent of each of the investments to be made.

The objective of these grants, according to the general director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, is "for artisans to design and innovate, enhance their productive activity, improve the safety and quality of their workshops and products, and increase their marketing".

Statements by the General Director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, on aid to artisans and companies in the sector

A sustainable clothing brand focused on art and created by women, for women.

Yolanda, together with her partner María José, decided to create this new brand in order to develop their creativity and value the work done by hand and with great care, producing quality products.

Their articles can already be found in the Crafts Centers of the Region of Murcia in Murcia, Cartagena and Lorca, on their website trimey.com and soon on the website artesaniaregiondemurcia.es.

The shirts are made with natural fabrics (cottons and lyocell) and manufactured in Spain. They use natural dyes in the printing of the illustrations. They strive to make fashion and the textile industry more sustainable and socially responsible every day.

They have chosen this type of material, in accordance with their ideas and defend production according to demand (not overproduction). They support fair and equitable compensation, health and safety in the workplace, and the defense of human rights.

Last Monday, June 13, at 7:30 p.m., at the Regional Crafts Center of Murcia, located at Calle Francisco Rabal, nº 6 de Murcia (Next to the Jardín del Salitre or de la Pólvora), the presentation of the second expanded and updated edition of the book by D. Antonio José Buendía Martínez called “San Antón, historia de un barrio”.

The first edition of this book was published on June 13, 2019, and in a few months all units were sold out. Therefore, the author has decided to launch a new edition, including new anecdotes from the neighborhood.

The talk-colloquium was attended by Mr. President of the Regional Assembly of Murcia, Mr. Alberto Castillo Baños and author of the prologue; as well as the General Director of Consumption and Crafts, Ms. Sonia Moreno Martínez; the journalist, lawyer and professor at UCAM, Mr. Juan Antonio de Heras y Tudela, and the painter and author of the book Mr. Antonio José Buendía Martínez, as well as other personalities and authorities invited to the event.

The book consists of fifteen chapters, of which thirteen of them talk about the history of more than 400 years of the San Antón neighborhood, some places that have already disappeared and that were emblematic for Murcia.

The other 2 chapters, of a more costumbrista nature, where customs, trades, games and objects from the 50s to 90s are described mainly. It is worth highlighting the numerous old and unpublished photos of the neighborhood and the rest of the topics it contains.

After two years of waiting for the pandemic, the Lorca Regional Craft Center will open its doors on the Night of the Museums, on May 21 from seven in the afternoon until midnight.

To do this, a series of activities have been scheduled that will create a special aura in the oldest Craft Center in the country.

For the first time we will have a live performance by the group called Nuevas Mejoras, which will enliven with a tribute to "Último de la fila" and versions of pop-rock in Spanish, from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Live demonstrations of artisan trades

Artistic locksmithing by Cerrajería Alonso de Lorca, where the craftsman will shape the metal with a hammer on an anvil as it was worked in the Middle Ages, located at the entrance of the center.

At the head of the potter's wheel, recently restored, will be the Master Craftsman Juan Lario, manager of the artisan company Alfarería Lario y Piñero de Lorca.

The Master Craftswoman, Rosa María Playá will teach us how clay modeling works.

The loom will be handled by Pedro Carrillo, manager of the artisan company Artellano 1994 SL in Coy (Lorca).

Tasting of artisan products

Helados La Tercia de Gea y Truyols, will market ice creams of different flavors (goat cheese, Paparajote, nougat, among others) and lemon granita to refresh the atmosphere, with a very unique cart.

Cervezas Cátedra de Fuente Álamo will carry a serpentine tricycle so that visitors can order their craft beer, winner of the 2021 Regional Food Award.

Juan Carlos Alcaraz from Quesería “El Pipas” in Puerto Lumbreras, will give a tasting of artisan goat cheeses, such as cured cheese in thistle flower, semi-cured cheeses with pepper and sweet paprika.

Sausages and hams from Hermanos Molina SL and artisan paprika cakes from La Tercia artisan bakery.

If you have a mother who likes what is authentic, handmade and respects the environment, without a doubt you will find the perfect gift at the Craft Centers in the Region of Murcia.

For this reason, for this special day we propose a series of activities and gifts for your mother with which you will be right and which are:

1.- Crafts workshops: 

The Murcia Regional Craft Center has scheduled a series of monthly workshops that are held in the afternoons, where your mother will enjoy making her own artisan product. Thus one of cutting and sewing with Vayatela that is taught on Mondays; another painting with Lidia Cassi, on Tuesdays; On Wednesdays and Saturdays we have the art show with Andrea Lopardo and the ceramic show with Verónica Macorin, and on Fridays the fire enamel on metal show with Anabel del Canto.    

More information and place reservation on the phone 968 35 75 37.

2.- Wine tastings with artisan pairing.

The Regional Craft Center of Cartagena, has scheduled two wine tastings in May, the first with “Bodegas Balcona”, on May 13, and the second with “Bodegas de Fábula” on May 27. 

More information and place reservation on the phone 968 52 46 31. 

3.- Gifts

Ceramics, both creative and traditional, can also be the perfect gift for this day, lamps, vases, sculptures, among others, can be very successful.

Creative and alternative fashion, such as Adolfo Ruíz or La Horca creations.

Costume jewelry and jewelry can also be a great choice for this day, silver pieces made by Yalí Vilchez, Jesús Gómez or Patricia Mazzarino, flower and resin pieces by Creaciones Aizahar, fire enamel earrings by Pilar Sáez, or bracelets made of macramé from América Colque, will be a success.

 Also articles made of leather such as bags from the Sasasú firm; the leather goods by Ángel Molina or José Bielsa and the recycled paper handbags by Isabel Puig are a good alternative. 

Our web www.artesaniaregiondemurcia.es or the Craft Centers in Murcia, Cartagena and Lorca, you will surely find the perfect gift. 

The Region of Murcia is present at the Salón Gourmets de Madrid, which will take place from today, Monday, April 25 to Thursday, April 28, and which this year celebrates its 35th edition.

The General Director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno Martínez, visited this show today in order to promote artisan food products, specifically the artisan company from San Pedro del Pinatar, Salazones Garre SL, and the paprika from “La Pastora ” of Cabezo de Torres.

On this occasion, the regional participation will be articulated around a 216-meter space in which a large representation of companies from the territory will be located, which will exhibit the best of their products.

The daily tastings will revolve around the best wines from the three Denominations of Origin: Jumilla, Bullas and Yecla, accompanied by pairings with which attendees will be able to savor the tapas that will be prepared daily: croquettes, snacks, salted fish and artichokes; rice with fish, organic vegetables or rabbit, always with the Designation of Origin Calasparra; as well as commented tastings of pure goat cheeses with Denominations of Origin Queso de Murcia and Queso de Murcia al Vino.

There will be 41 companies present on this occasion at the Madrid Fair, in addition to the Regulatory Councils of the Denominations of Origin of Jumilla, Yecla and Bullas wines, Calasparra rice and Murcia cheeses; the Council of Ecological Agriculture and the Association of Food Companies of Murcia, Alicante and Albacete (Agrupal).

Today, Monday, April 18, at 6:00 p.m. at the Murcia Regional Craft Center, the opening of the exhibition called "Traditional Clothing of the Region of Murcia" has taken place.

This exhibition has been organized by the Regional Association of Choirs and Dances Francisco Salzillo, with the participation of the nine groups belonging to said group.

Contributing the clothing of ten mixed couples from the choir and dance groups of the municipalities of Alhama de Murcia, Cieza, Jumilla, Lorca, Molina de Segura, Puerto Lumbreras, Santomera, Yecla and Murcia.

The exhibition is set with Crafts from the Region of Murcia, as well as photographs belonging to the photographic collection of the Federation of Associations of Choirs and Dances of Spain, in which the rest of the costumes of the groups mentioned above are captured, and which they will not be exposed.

With this initiative, the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts wants to value regional traditions and the craftsmanship of regional costume tailors, coinciding with the Murcia Spring Festival.

This act will be chaired by Sonia Moreno Martínez, General Director of Consumption and Crafts, as well as the presidents of said groups.

More of 160 artisans have met today at the XIX Meeting of bobbin lacemakers of the Region, which was held in the Gunpowder Garden in Murcia.

The Business Counselor, Miguelez Valley, visited the meeting and explained that its objective is "the dissemination of such a traditional activity as bobbin lace, the recovery and transmission of this art through public demonstrations, at the same time that it is a meeting point for the exchange of experiences between the bolilleras of the Region with the learning and dissemination of new craft techniques.

This initiative is the most outstanding activity in the programming of the 'European Crafts Days' in the Region of Murcia, which ends this Sunday and which has had open days in craft centers, exhibitions and workshops.

The event has been organized by the Murcian Association of Friends of Bolillo, in collaboration with the Ministry through the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts, and is part of the action plan carried out by the Ministry to prevent the disappearance of crafts.

According to historians, the origin of lace is fixed to mid-16th century in Venice, but vestiges have been found in the ancient civilizations of the East.

Starting this Monday, the Regional Crafts Center of Murcia hosts the exhibition 'A different way of living Holy Week', by the Hermanos Simón artisan company, and which can be visited until April 13, sources from the Community reported in a Press release.

Hermanos Simón is registered in the Artisan Registry of the Region of Murcia in the trade of molder of resin figures since 2006 and makes all kinds of steps or thrones and miniature figures of penitents for brotherhoods and fraternities nationwide.

The exhibition is made up of dioramas of the exit from the passage of the canopy of Esperanza de la Macarena and of the brotherhood of Los Dolores de Fuente Álamo; different steps of the national Holy Week, as well as some 200 original clay pieces. This exhibition is part of the activities organized on the occasion of the European Days of Crafts.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition was attended by the general director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, and the mayor of Yecla, Remedios Lajara.

The III Regional Meat Pie Contest will be held at the Murcia Regional Craft Center on April 18, as announced today by the General Director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, during the presentation of the poster and the contest rules.

Moreno stressed that "on the one hand, the aim is to promote this Murcian gastronomic product and promote its excellence, since its costly preparation and its nutritional richness distance it from the concept of fast food, and on the other, to recognize the pastry artisans who have made of this product one of the referents of the Murcian gastronomy”.

The registration period is now open and will end on April 15. Participants must be registered or in the process of being registered in the Artisan Registry of the Region of Murcia in the pastry trade before the contest begins, and be active at the time of the competition.

The jury will be made up of qualified professionals from the guild who will assess the cakes in a tasting that will take place on the day of the contest at the Murcia Craft Center. The product with the highest score will be recognized as the 'Best Meatloaf 2022', and the pastry chef will receive a trophy and a plaque for his establishment.

The contest is organized by the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts together with the Regional Association of Pastry Entrepreneurs of Murcia (Arepa). The bases and the registration application can be downloaded on the page www.artesaniaregiondemurcia.es.

Meatloaf is a typical Murcian recipe that dates back to the end of the 17th century, when ordinances were enacted to regulate its production standards. It is a round cake with a top of thin puff pastry in the shape of concentric rings, filled with beef, chorizo and egg. It has a variety that replaces the beef with brains.

• Application and rules for the III Regional Meatloaf Contest

The General Director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, inaugurated the exhibition 'Acción Sedante', at the Murcia Regional Crafts Centre, a fashion collection born from the collaboration of the artisan Rosana González and the designer Charo Romero, made up of Hand-painted works in 100% natural silk.

In the sample you can see blouses, pants, kimonos, dresses and scarves, among other garments, made in a unique and handmade way, which can be purchased on request. This collection was presented for the first time at the 'Murcia Es Moda' contest, on February 9, at the Romea Theater's Hall of Mirrors.

The exhibition can be visited until March 8, from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. .