Category: News

The Minister of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson, Valle Miguélez, participated yesterday in the presentation of the new edition of the Regional Meat Pie Contest, which will be held on October 20, and is organized in collaboration with the Regional Association of Entrepreneurs Murcia Pastry (Arepa).

In addition, during the act the new flavors of the artisan sweet 'Murciatone' were shown, with cocoa and hazelnut cream, pistachio and orange cream and candied chestnut.

Miguélez highlighted "the interest of Murcian pastry chefs in innovation, introducing new products that combine tradition with excellent raw materials and innovative techniques".

The 'Murciatone' is a regional initiative promoted by more than thirty artisans grouped in Arepa. The presentation was held at the Regional Craft Center of Murcia, and was accompanied by the only chocolate made by hand in the Region, with the brand 'Cacao Esmuca'.

• Request and declaration of responsibility to participate in the Christmas Exhibition

Brewed by the brewmaster Eduardo Cano, it has been chosen as the most innovative beer in Spain at the Barcelona Beer Challenge and received the European Award for the Environment for Business

By pacohernandez August 1, 2021 in GastroArtesanía, GastroNoticias

The Region of Murcia has, among its GastroArtesanos, excellent craft beers that are well known to all, but without a doubt the flagship of all of them and if not, at least one of the most awarded, is the Cerveza Artesanal Cátedra Beer whose creator is the entrepreneur Eduardo Cano. We have spoken with him from LasGastrocronicas.com for our series of reports on Murcian food artisans, sponsored by the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts, directed by Sonia Moreno, who belongs to the Ministry of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson.

Cátedra, a Murcian company located in the Fuente Álamo Technology Park, was born in the surroundings of the University of Murcia, as Eduardo Cano's final year project, focused on the beer sector. «It was about my final degree project, he explains, which consisted of the creation of a pilot plant for the production of craft beer. The work was very well received and with great enthusiasm by teachers and students who saw a very interesting and complex world, even more complex than the world of wine».

As Eduardo explains, the project allowed the transfer of knowledge between different university sections, from the Faculty of Economics and Business to the Faculty of Chemistry, due to the different processes that the creation of a company of these characteristics goes through.

It is a craft beer but exquisite, aimed at the general public, which has a large gastronomic component around the world of pairing and on the other hand, it was about creating a sustainable company with the environment.

«From a trip to Germany we discovered the type of beer, with DO Colonia, 'Kölsch', we personalize it and adapt it until we get a very round and balanced craft beer, easy to drink, with floral and fruity notes, which give it a lot of personality. It is a long drink beer with a persistent taste in the mouth”, explains Eduardo Cano.

"As a result of that, we presented our beer to the Barcelona beer contest, the 'Barcelona Beer Challenge', the most important event in southern Europe, which recognizes the best beers and breweries in the world."

Brewmaster Eduardo Cano.

In total, 232 companies and 1,167 products have gathered at Sala Sarau in Badalona to attend this year's awards ceremony where Cervezas Cátedra won the first prize for the most innovative beer in all of Spain and Cátedra Beer became from this way in the first beer in the Region of Murcia to achieve this distinction.

Environmental care

«After obtaining this recognition by an external professional body, Eduardo continues explaining to us, we started with the other pillar of the company, which consists of caring for the environment. For this we reuse the 'bagasse', malt used in the maceration process, for animal feed.

In this way we manage to help solve CO2 emissions into the atmosphere from the alcoholic fermentation processes produced by the yeast. This is how we developed the BioFilter, with Manuel Rubio, Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering at UMU. It is a circular economy system that eliminates emissions through micro algae. We are the first company in the world that has incorporated this technology in the sector.”

“CO2 emissions are produced at three critical points: fermentation, packaging of bottles and barrels, and finally, dispensing the beer from the barrel, when we ask for a beer drawn from the coil”, concludes Eduardo Cano.

The design and packaging of the Cátedra brand is the work of Nacho Rodríguez, from Casaù Estudio, "to whom I am enormously grateful for his support from the beginning like other great professionals who have dedicated themselves and have been the starting motor of this project". At Cátedra they have a production capacity of around 50,000 liters per year. "Only by applying the BioFilter to that amount we are eliminating 1.2 tons of CO2 per year," Cano highlights.

Cátedra beer can be purchased in specialized food stores, craft beer establishments and, in hotels, in prestigious and traditional restaurants.

Eduardo Cano highlights the special characteristics of Cátedra craft beer in relation to gastronomy due to its ease of pairing, especially with the best Murcian products, both from the garden, from the sea, or with all kinds of meat.

Among their future projects, they work intensively on R&D, on a "very interesting project that cannot be anticipated, on sustainability, whose results we will see next year," explains Eduardo Cano.

In the short term, they intend to continue growing to manufacture more volume of beer and innovate in the technology and process sector in relation to the environment.

European Business Award for the Environment

Cátedra Beer has become the first craft beer in Spain to receive, in October 2020, the recognition of the 'European Business Awards for the Environment', in an act presided over by King Felipe VI and the fourth vice president of the Government and Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, held at the 'Rastro Madrid' space in the Spanish capital.

Eduardo Cano, with King Felipe VI and Minister Teresa Ribera.

Felipe VI highlighted that "the award-winning companies, as was the case of Cátedra Beer, are an example of their ability to refocus business models towards more sustainable production models and processes, demonstrating an active commitment to the environment." The King of Spain encouraged the winners to continue with the leadership recognized by these awards and to continue being effective ambassadors of society's environment, transmitting the affection and gratitude of the Crown.

“More and more firms in our country are showing leadership and the ability to go beyond traditional models and incorporate sustainable development, social responsibility and good governance objectives into their vision and strategy. Citizens are day by day more aware of these values, especially the youngest," commented the monarch.

For her part, Minister Teresa Ribera highlighted the importance that "the integration of environmental objectives in companies is key to a green recovery" with the award-winning companies being "the spearhead". He also recalled that the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge "has expanded the space for investment by facilitating the scalability of companies that are small today but want to grow."

In 2020, Cátedra was also awarded at the Sustainability Awards of the newspaper La Verdad, in the category 'Best young initiative for the conservation of nature'.

The most innovative beer in Spain

In 2019 he obtained a Silver Medal in the IV Edition of the Barcelona Beer Challenge, an international contest that recognizes the best beers and breweries in the world.

The craft and sustainable beer Cátedra Beer, brewed in Murcia, has also been recognized in 2021 as the most innovative beer in Spain by the Barcelona Beer Challenge. Last May, the Murcian craft company received the Innovation-Molina for Brewers award at the sixth edition of the Barcelona beer competition.

Cátedra Beer thus becomes the first beer in the Region of Murcia to achieve this distinction. In addition, the company has also won the bronze medal in the specialty fruit lager category for its new barley drink that incorporates carob from Campo de Cartagena, a product native to the area. The new beer is the result of collaboration with the chef María Gómez and her husband, the sommelier and head waiter, Adrián de Marcos, owners of the Magoga Restaurant, which holds a Michelin Star and where this beer will be included for the first time in its menu. of drinks.

Pioneer beer in the sector

“With the BioFilter Chair we have created an ecosystem within the factory and it is nature itself that helps us avoid a negative impact on it through a pioneering system in the brewing industry without precedent in Europe and the world. In this way, we carry out a circular economy process, converting a polluting waste such as CO2 into oxygen and microalgae with a high value as biomass.” The brewmaster and head of the company, Eduardo Cano, stood out.

"The granting of these awards stimulates the commitment and effort we make to successfully combine the economic viability of our business with the protection of the environment, always in the most innovative way possible and beyond legal requirements", explains Eduardo Cano .

The beer style 'Kölsch'

'Kölsch' is a style of German beer with an old recipe that has been perfected over the years with current production techniques: Golden-colored beer with honey reflections, creamy and dense white foam. Carbon is well integrated. On the nose there are notes of cereals and bread crust. It is fruity with hints of white flowers and herbaceous hops. On the palate it is soft and refreshing with an intense flavor. The natural hop flowers give it a balanced bitterness that invites you to take a second sip. It pairs well with salads, oysters, fried squid, pasta al frutti di mare and sunny days.

Awards: Silver Medal: Barcelona Beer Challenge 2019 Process for Sustainable Development – European Business Awards for the Environment 2020. Best Young Initiative for Nature Conservation – II Sustainability Awards 2020. Molina for Brewers Innovation Award – Barcelona Beer Challenge 2021.

Technical information: ABV (Alcohol content) normal: 4.8%.

Beer Chair

Location: Fuente Álamo Technology Park

Web: www.catedrabeer.com.

Telephone: 622 36 52 22

Since 2015, the Lorca family business has garnered many international awards for the quality of its products and this year it received the Regional Award for Food Crafts

By pacohernandez

July 26, 2021 in GastroArtesanía, GastroNoticias

With the El Roano artisan cheese factory, LasGastrocrónicas.com starts its new GastroArtesanía section, sponsored by the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts, which belongs to the Ministry of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson. Through the new section, which begins today, we will be able to meet dozens of food and gastronomy artisans from the Region of Murcia attached to the Regional Craft Centers of Murcia. Welcome to GastroArtesania.

El Roano Artisanal Cheese Factory

El Roano, a family business located between the fertile fields of Lorca, Murcia, produces excellent cheeses in a completely traditional way, made with milk from its own goats, of the native Murcian-Granadian breed, which its owners raise in the Lorca district of Purias and which they feed with alfalfa that they also grow themselves.

Pedro Giner Reverte Food Award 2019. Although they have been dedicating themselves body and soul to livestock for more than three generations, the small family business only started a few years ago in the honorable trade of making their own cheese, reaping significant recognition in a short time. Worldwide. So "something will have the Murcian goat cheese, when they bless it".

In this short space of time they have won a multitude of prizes and awards to which they have added, in 2020, the distinction of the Lyon International Contest for gourmet products with the Gold Medal for their cheese 'El Roano Oro', made with goat's milk, and the 2021 Silver Award for its product 'El Roano Azul', a blue-paste goat's milk cheese, at the World Cheese Championship, held in Lyon (France).

It is a contest, which has renowned partners such as Les Toques Blanches Lyonnaises, the Association of Sommeliers of Lyon, Rhône Alpes and Metro, thousands of products from many countries are tasted every year and rewards the best products world gourmets. In the previous edition, 7,780 samples from 41 different countries were tasted, products such as cheeses and dairy products, as well as traditional French products such as wine, spirits and craft beer.

This 2021 they also won the Regional Craft Award in the Food Craft Category, which was recently held at the Murcia Regional Craft Center.

El Roano cheeses.

“We make eleven types of cheese with care, but it is still impossible to decide which one we are most passionate about.”

This year, around 1,000 samples of cheese from 9 countries have been tasted at the show, with almost 90 percent of the winners being of French origin. Thus, together with the gold achieved by the classic 'El Roano cured', the Giner family has achieved silver in a category as highly valued in the neighboring country as blue cheese.

As Pedro Giner, Jr., with the same name and surname as his father, tells us, "Even today, when they ask us about the excellent quality of these cheeses, we respond in the same way as our people with our small herd for fifty years: the only secret It lies in working in the usual traditional way, knowing that we have in our hands the best imaginable raw material”.

The Lorca company is carrying the name of the city of Lorca throughout the international scene, in addition to delighting with the unmistakable flavor of its products.

Peter Giner.

"It is the care in feeding our goats that makes us grow our own alfalfa to supply it green and fresh, in order to obtain an unbeatable quality of milk," explains Pedro Giner, Jr. And we cannot deny it: we are enthusiastic about what we are and what we do.

We currently produce more than a dozen different kinds of cheese and, although it is difficult to decide which one we are most passionate about, we stand out for having the first blue goat cheese made from raw milk from Murcia. Which by the way, is also one of the few in the world.

What do we do in El Roano?

In these three short years, we have worked hard to remain faithful to a single idea: to offer a natural and artisan product, always using traditional methods in accordance with our customs.

If it was the proven quality of our milk that encouraged us in the dream of making an ancient product such as cheese; the support of the public prompted us to take our farm cheese to different festivals, in order to modestly represent our way of doing and working.

Thus, we have participated in different events and festivals in this short period of life, highlighting the following mentions obtained:

Participation in the Gazta Market 2016: it was the exhibition of the best European cheeses made with raw milk without preservatives or colorants. Only 38 cheeses had the privilege of being present.

World Cheese Awards 2016 (WCA): It is the World Cheese Championship, where more than 3,000 cheeses from 5 continents participated. El Roano Artisan Cheese won two awards in its first participation: world silver and world bronze, in the categories of raw milk cured cheese and pasteurized milk cured cheese, respectively. A unique experience with a spectacular result for our first year of life. FITUR 2017: We were immensely proud that our cheese was chosen as one of the products that would represent our land at the 2017 International Tourism Fair.

Salón del Gourmet 2017/18: Our participation resulted in the inclusion of El Roano Azul Artisan Cheese, made from raw goat's milk, among the top ten in the Ranking of the International Gourmet Show Fair 2017; Obtaining, for the first time, recognition for our semi-cured cheeses, and a cheese as Murcian as the black pepper cheese, remaining in the semifinals of the International Ranking of the Sample.

At this point, we can assure you that it is a privilege to represent our land in competitions of this level, with such fantastic producers and articles; and, of course, we must thank our clients for transmitting their confidence in our daily work.

International Goat Cheese Contest CapraSpain International 2017/18: It was one of the few specific contests for cheeses made with goat's milk. Our fresh cheese obtained the distinction of being chosen as one of the best 10 best in the contest. A real pride for a cheese with which our activity began. The other pleasant surprise of the Contest, held in Talavera de la Reina, was that our cheese obtained the maximum score as the Cured Cheese with the best flavor and aroma by the Jury of the III International Goat Cheese Contest “CapraEspaña Internacional 2017”.

FITUR 2018: For the second consecutive year, our cheese was chosen as one of the most characteristic products of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia 2018.

Also in 2018, at the 51st edition of SEPOR, where he was awarded the National SEPOR Gold Award for Business Initiative.

World Cheese Awards London 2017 (WCA): This edition of the World Cheese Championship, where more than 3,300 cheeses from 5 continents participated, took place in the City of London. El Roano Artisan Cheese won three awards in its second participation: a Superoro, or champion of champions in its category, and two world silvers, corresponding to raw milk cured cheese, pasteurized milk cured cheese and El Roano blue cheese, respectively. The event brought together hundreds of gourmet shop owners from around the world and the best chefs in the British capital. The event constituted, for the small family cheese factory, the authentic consolidation of a dream.

World Cheese Awards Bergen (Norway) 2018: This latest edition of the World Cheese Championship moved to Norway. Specifically to the second largest city in the country and once again filled us with energy and pride. El Roano Artisan Cheese won another three awards, reaching a total of 8 world awards in just three years. It was a gold, a silver and a bronze, which left the El Roano cured cheeses as one of the best bets in the world in its category and an international reference.

FITUR 2019: Once again, we had the pleasure of representing our region at the Madrid International Fair. This year, although at a national level it has a lot of competition, we went hand in hand with the largest brewing company in the Region of Murcia: Estrella de Levante. International Gourmet Fair 2019: Still pending the final results in other categories, Artisan Cheeses El Roano obtained the National Silver in the Category of the best Cured Cheeses in Spain with its raw milk cheese -unpasteurized- "El Roano Oro". A new milestone difficult to overcome in the coming years, hopefully that carousel of emotions will be repeated. Soon we will continue to give you the rest of the information about this fantastic event that brings together the best delicacies of the international market in Madrid.

Variety of products

The illusion of making better cheeses has led us to have a wide range where our customers can choose according to their preferences. Thus, our cheeses are:

Cured cheeses.

Our "flagships" with a SUPER GOLD, 1 GOLD, 3 SILVERS and 2 WORLD BRONZE awarded throughout the world in the last 3 years. The one made with raw milk was also invited to the exhibition of the best European cheeses in its category:

• Raw milk cured cheese aged 8 months (2kg cut ball, 300g balls and 300g ball with olive oil). It was awarded the Silver in the category of best cured cheeses at the Madrid International Gourmet Show 2019.
• 9-month-old cured cheese (250 gr wedge format and 2kg cut ball). Chosen in the CapraSpain International Championship 2017 the best valued cheese for its flavor and aroma. Blue cheeses. Our little right eye. The only blue cheese made from raw goat's milk in the region. Awarded with world silver in 2017 and chosen among the 10 best cheeses of the International Fair of the Gourmet Hall in 2017/2018:
• Blue cheese made from raw goat's milk (cut ball and wedge of 250 gr).
• Blue cheese cream (jar).

Cheese making in El Roano.

Semi-cured cheeses (wedge format of 250 gr, 480 gr and cut ball of 2kg).

One of our recent joys, both for its distinction among the 13 best cheeses in its category at the International Gourmet Show 2017 and because it comes to recognize a type of cheese with very Murcian nuances.

• Rosemary cheese.
• Thyme cheese.
• Paprika cheese.
• Black pepper cheese.
• Cheese in olive oil.

Fresh products.

Everything begins here. The two pillars in the construction of the Artisan Cheese Factory: milk with unparalleled health and quality levels; and a fresh cheese that literally hooks you with its authentic flavor. If you are looking for a professional Gourmet taster to corroborate our opinion, we recommend that you go to your parents and grandparents.

• Fresh goat milk.
• Fresh cheese (chosen among the 10 best in the International CapraEspaña International Contest 2017). Goat cheese roll. Still somewhat unknown compared to other ranges, which makes them a wonder to discover.
• Large roll (1 kg).
• Small roll (330 gr). More than a dozen different types of cheese, among which our gourmet tasters have a choice.

To conclude, it is necessary to remember that we are an artisan company that produces in the traditional style, which has significant production limitations. We have chosen quality in every way, and we believe in it for this great little family business.

EL ROANO Artisan Cheese Factory.

Los Liebros Road. Panel 21, mailbox no. 5.

Purias Provincial Council (Lorca). Murcia.

Telephone: 608 24 01 53

The Autonomous Community has called the 2021 Regional Crafts Awards. The Ministry of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson published yesterday, June 25, in the Official Gazette of the Region of Murcia (BORM) the call for the Regional Crafts Awards with eight categories and 12,000 euros in prizes.

Self-employed artisans and craft companies can apply to the different categories, which have an economic endowment of between 1,500 and 3,000 euros.

The deadline for submitting applications is one month from the publication in the BORM. The candidatures will be accompanied by representative panels or products, and will be evaluated by a committee, which will carry out a pre-selection. The selected candidates will participate in a temporary exhibition that will be located in the Regional Craft Center of Murcia, so that citizens can vote for their favorites.

Extract from the Order of the Ministry of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson by which the Craft Awards of the Region of Murcia are announced for the year 2021.

Electronic office: Regional Crafts Awards

Artisans will be able to exhibit and sell their products at the International Airport of the Region of Murcia, at the stand that the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts has set up in the terminal, where they can buy bags, necklaces, costume jewellery, creative ceramics , hand-painted natural silk scarves or esparto grass utensils, among others.

The Minister of Business, Employment, Universities and Spokesperson, Valle Miguélez, assured during the inauguration that "the link between tourism and crafts is necessary so that people who visit us can buy gifts and souvenirs".

Also, a very clear example is the large influx of tourists from cruise ships who come to the Regional Craft Center of Cartagena. "Therefore, it is of great interest that visitors, as soon as they land, have a first contact with the crafts of the Region, as well as say goodbye taking with them a part of the work carried out by our artisans," said the councilor.

Specifically, a part has been designated, located within the commercial area of the airport, which is perfectly identified with the Artesanía de la Región de Murcia logo.

The artisans shortlisted by the company that will market the products in this space are the potters, Martín Lario García, Juan and Silverio Piñero Ayala, Verónica Maccorin, Marisa Peaguda and Rosa María Playá; jewelry by Ascensión Martínez Espallardo and Ana Isabel Zapata Arroyo; jewelry by Jesús Gómez Alegría; Lidia Cassi, painter-drawer of natural silk scarves; esparto by Alejandro Sevilla; sachets of aromas from the Mª Pilar Freixas waxworks (waxworks); La Gloriaca handbags; Yakka beers; Meliterránea honey and products from the company Encurtidos Murcianos.

Regional Craft Centers

Currently, there are 733 registered artisans in the official register of the Autonomous Community and it has three Regional Craft Centers located in Murcia, Cartagena and Lorca, where these professionals can market their products, as well as an online sales portal (www.murciaartesana.carm.es).

During the first half of this year, the sales of the Regional Craft Centers amounted to 76,073 euros. Specifically, Murcia has billed 21,189 euros, Cartagena has sold products worth 38,529 euros and Lorca, 16,355 euros. In the same period of the previous year, these centers registered sales of 53,631 euros, obtaining an increase of 42 percent.

With regard to visits, so far this year, the Regional Craft Centers have received 4,849 visitors. Murcia has opened its doors to 1,169 visitors, Cartagena to 1,240 and Lorca to 2,440 people. In the same period of the previous year the number of visitors rose to 5,163.

During the month of June, the Regional Craft Centers of Murcia, Cartagena and Lorca, have organized a simultaneous exhibition of craft products in commemoration of the day of the Region of Murcia, in order to promote and spread the customs and emblems of our land .

In this exhibition you can find miniatures of the Virgen de la Fuensanta, Virgen de La Arrixaca, La Matrona de Murcia and La Matanza from the traditional clay nativity scene, Manuel Nicolás Almansa.

The illustrated histories of different municipalities in the Region of Murcia made by the craftsman Pedro Hurtado, such as Murcia, Águilas, Los Alcázares, Lorca, Mazarrón, Jumilla and Alhama de Murcia.

Huertanos and the Cathedral of Murcia represented in creative ceramics by artisans Juan and Silverio Piñero Ayala and Marisa Peaguda.

Masks, fans, separate pages painted by hand by the artisan Lidia Cassi.

Singular orchard costumes, and combined with good taste by the hand of Beatriz Regional Costumes.

The emblematic Jug of the Bride, made by the artisan company Alfarería Lario y Piñero.

Fundirmetal Amando, presents a replica of the sculpture Alfonso X El Sabio, cast in bronze, as well as the miniatures of the "Tribute to the Farmer" located in the roundabout of Diez de Revenga and the "Fish" in the roundabout of the avenue Miguel de Cervantes.

Aidemar is a non-profit association, made up of families with children with disabilities, within their educational programs they have a pottery workshop and for this exhibition they have created different ceramic figures that represent the Mar Menor.

Pía La Torre, costume jewelry, with pendants made of ceramics and keyrings.

Ana Belén Paredes, embroiderer presents, t-shirts, baskets of my work, notebooks, among others.

Carmen Martínez Azorín, stained glass window, with clocks, boxes and pen holders made of molten glass.

Rosa López Torres, fabric decorator, with scarves and fans and hand-painted silk trays.

Verónica Maccorin, potter with her paparajotes and miniature sailors, and we also have t-shirts from the Region of Murcia from the artisan firm Kojak.

The Regional Craft Center of Lorca today received the Sicted award as second finalist in the category of 'Most competitive establishment of 2020', in the XI edition of the Sicted Awards granted by the Secretary of State for Tourism, and which was delivered at the International Tourism Fair (Fitur). These awards recognize the effort made in recent months by those professionals and entities in favor of quality tourism.

The general director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, collected the award and highlighted "the work carried out by the Center with Sicted for the continuous improvement in quality and service to its customers, the economic and business improvement of the center, and its commitment to reduce the risk of contagion by covid-19”.

The winner of this category, which was also chosen by the Regional Craft Center of Murcia, which was one point below that of Lorca, was the tourist train of Toledo and, the first finalist, the Spanish Ski and Snowboard School Fuentes de Winter, from Aller (Asturias).

Sicted is a project to improve the quality of tourist destinations that works with tourist establishments and services of up to 36 different trades, with the ultimate goal of improving the tourist experience and satisfaction. Sicted makes public institutions and private companies bet on offering exclusive products, quality services and personal treatment that meets the expectations of tourists during their stay.

The Regional Craft Center of Murcia hosts the exhibition 'Carne Con Ojos' by the artist Ismael Cerezo Ramírez, known as 'Flyppy'. The exhibition is made up of more than sixty sculptural works inspired by nature, with a diversity of trees and numerous large animals, such as a spectacular illuminated four meter long scolopendra that will welcome the visitor.

The general director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, encouraged all citizens to “come to this center to enjoy the new exhibition that it has, once again, with a great stage for his work. It is the fifth time that this craftsman has exhibited at the center and, as on previous occasions, he has had a great success, being highly appreciated by the Murcian public”.

The exhibition can be visited until mid-June, 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 Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The pieces signed by 'Flyppy' provide the vision of those who work with glass with a professional commissioned concept, with creative independence but subject to the market. In these works, the presence of the glass material prevails over any other reading or interpretation.

"The author has been working with these materials for more than three decades, which combine hardness and fragility, to create lamps and sculptures of plants or animals and insects, some of them luminous to enhance the play of glass with light," said Sonia Moreno, at the time who recalled that in the regional craft centers, “anyone can purchase products made by our artisans. In this way, we will be taking a little piece of our history with us and we will collaborate in the survival of the artisan workshops, avoiding the disappearance of the trades of our ancestors”.

Ismael Cerezo Ramírez 'Flyppy' (Murcia 1967)

With a practically self-taught training, Ismael learned about glass through the Mallorcan Pere Ignasi, when he already had a long experience with iron. He spent more than two years with him in Palma de Mallorca (1992-1993) in his workshop in S'Hostalot where they began to mix iron and glass in joint creations. Upon his return to Murcia, Ismael opened a workshop and continued working with glass.

A master in the domain of iron and glass, he has created a universe full of bugs, lamps, furniture and public and private installations. This is a sculptor who masterfully combines iron and glass to create forms that our imagination can hardly accept or conceive. It is not a contradiction, but the essence that spills his sculptural elements or his pieces of ruined iron and informal glass, transformed into sculptures brimming with elegance and creativity.

Since 1990 he has participated in more than a hundred exhibitions both nationally (Murcia, Cartagena, Lorca, Caravaca de la Cruz, Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Jaén, Alicante, among others), and internationally (Toulouse and Andorra). .

Ismael Cerezo Ramírez, known as "Flyppy", registered in the artisan registry since 1997, returns to the Murcia Regional Craft Center, a great stage for his work, since on other occasions he has had a great success, being highly appreciated. by the Murcian public.

This is the fifth time that he has exhibited at this center and this time his exhibition is called “Flesh with eyes”, made up of all kinds of imaginary or real beings with flesh and eyes.

The inauguration will take place next Thursday, May 13 at 8:00 p.m., by the General Director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, and can be visited until mid-June, from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

This exhibition sample is made up of more than sixty sculptural works, inspired by nature: trees, among them, a lemon-orange tree in homage to the Murcian orchard, cacti, fish, cats, jellyfish, squid, large flamingos, dragonflies, octopuses, dancers and a spectacular illuminated scolopendra four meters long that will welcome the visitor.

Flyppy, Ismael Cerezo Ramírez (Murcia 1967), with practically self-taught training (except for some courses at the Rectory, Barcelona or Granja de Segovia). Ismael learned about glass through the Majorcan Pere Ignasi, when he already had a long experience with iron. In Palma de Mallorca he would spend two years with him -1992 and 1993- in his workshop in S'Hostalot where they began to mix iron and glass in joint creations. Upon his return to Murcia, Ismael opened a workshop and continued working with glass.

The pieces signed by Flyppy give us the vision of those who work with glass with a professional concept, commissioned, with creative independence but subject to the market. In these works, the presence of the glass material prevails over any other reading or interpretation.

"Spontaneity" is what I like most when working with glass. «It's very immediate, you don't have to wait for it to dry, like ceramics, nor do you need a mold, like in the case of bronze; here everything is more spontaneous and allows you to improvise».

And for more than three decades now he has been working with these materials, which combine hardness and fragility, to create lamps and sculptures of plants or animals and insects –some of them luminous, to enhance “the play of glass with light”– such as ladybugs , spiders, herons, fish, bulls, owls, butterflies... Beings that "come out of the 'intraser'", sometimes even without having thought of them before. "There are pieces that are thought about, that are drawn before they are carried out and others that are not", and adds that the key to not copying oneself is "never stop experimenting".

Pieces in which color, the mix of shades, takes on great importance; In fact, I started working with glass "by chance, looking for something to give color to the works." Now, with experience in tow, they say that the most important thing when working with it is "knowing how to make it profitable, because it is an expensive material."

Contemplating the work of Ismael Cerezo is quite a gymnastic exercise for the neurons; the juxtaposition of materials and techniques, the hard and coarse iron and the fragile and transparent glass, the hammer on the metal and the air blown into the heat of the oven.

In Flyppy's workshop, the burning paste becomes an insect, which turns into a firefly-lamp. The iron embraces the glass, which abandons itself to its warm embrace, and the sparks released when welding fill the workshop of this artist of color and movement. The inert material comes to life at the hands of the artists, who rescue, recycle and resolve the future of an abandoned iron to which chance has wanted to grant one last privilege.

A master in the domain of iron and glass, between the two of them they have created a universe full of bugs, lamps, furniture and public and private installations; sculptor who masterfully combine iron and glass to create forms and creatures that our imagination can hardly accept or conceive. Think the most utopian to turn it into the most original reality. It is not a contradiction, but the essence that spills its sculptural elements or, let's say it another way, its pieces of broken iron and informal glass, transformed into sculptures brimming with elegance and creativity.

Since 1990, it has participated in more than a hundred exhibitions both nationally (Murcia, Cartagena, Lorca, Caravaca de la Cruz, Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Jaén, Alicante, among others), and internationally (Toulouse and Andorra ).

The Community enables virtual visits to the regional craft centers of Murcia, Cartagena Y Lorca, through high-definition 3D technology, to publicize the works of artisans that are for sale. It will be from May 15, the day on which the 'Night of the Museums' is celebrated, when you can enjoy these virtual tours.

The General Director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, highlighted that “this technology offers the best image quality for virtual visits currently available, thanks to which the visitor will be able to visit the different rooms. In this way, from anywhere in the world you can learn about the buildings and the history of where the centers are located, in addition to being able to buy the products that are displayed in the online store, from creative crafts to food, as well as social crafts”.

The craft centers are public spaces available to the sector, where, in addition to the sale of products, all kinds of activities are carried out, such as temporary exhibitions, craft workshops, craft-themed presentations and group guided tours, among others.

Likewise, these centers are made available to other groups, such as educational centers, associations and non-profit entities, to carry out activities related to the artisan world, creating synergies between different areas of our society.

“It is important to digitize the artisan sector, because at the business level it reinvents and innovates an organization, using technology in every way. It is an important source to sell and position itself in new markets. However, the lack of digitalization is a weakness of the sector, since it reduces the probability of increasing the commercialization of each artisan product and further enhancing the excellent raw material and craftsmanship of the Region," said Sonia Moreno.

Virtual visit to the Regional Craft Center of Murcia

The Lorca Regional Craft Center has been distinguished as the second finalist in the category 'Most competitive Sicted Establishment 2020' in the XI Edition of the Sicted Awards granted by the Secretary of State for Tourism. These awards are a public acknowledgment of the effort made in recent months by those professionals and entities in favor of quality tourism.

The general director of Consumption and Crafts, Sonia Moreno, explained that the Lorca Regional Craft Center will receive this award in Madrid on May 20 at the International Tourism Fair, Fitur, "for the work done with Sicted, the continuous improvement in the operational quality and in the service to its clients; the economic and business improvement of the center; and its commitment to reduce the risk of contagion by covid-19”.

The winner of this category, which was also chosen by the Regional Craft Center of Murcia, which was one point below that of Lorca, was the tourist train of Toledo and, the first finalist, the Spanish Ski and Snowboard School Fuentes de Winter, from Aller (Asturias).

Sicted is a project to improve the quality of tourist destinations that works with tourist establishments and services of up to 36 different trades, with the ultimate goal of improving the tourist experience and satisfaction. Sicted makes public institutions and private companies bet on offering exclusive products, quality services and personal treatment that meets the expectations of tourists during their stay.

Crafts Region of Murcia celebrates the “European Days of Crafts” with Open Days at the Regional Crafts Centers of Murcia, Cartagena and Lorca, offering free guided tours, courses and craft workshops.

A different look at the diversity of artisan creation in Spain.

The objective of these conferences is to bring the secrets of the work of luthiers, jewelers, potters, lace makers, blacksmiths, weavers and all kinds of crafts closer to the public, to spread their enormous wealth and uniqueness.

The initiative is promoted by the School of Industrial Organization (EOI), public foundation and first business school in Spain, its area of promotion of crafts, melt you, Y Trade and Art, Organization of Artisans of Spain.

For a week, free activities will bring visitors and the curious of all ages closer to the sphere of craft creation. Fairs, open days in workshops, live demonstrations, exhibitions, children's activities... Seven days around crafts, in which artists who wish to show their creations and share their work procedures with the public are invited to participate.

The European Crafts Days have their origin in Les Journées Européennes des Métiers d'Art, which organizes in France the National Institute of Métiers d'Art (INMA) since 2002. Spain soon joined the project and both countries present a more extensive program of activities. This year, this holiday is celebrated simultaneously in 18 countries.

Check the schedule at:

https://www.diasdelaartesania.es/programa

The public postal operator Correos wants to take advantage of its network in small municipalities to promote new services

Eduardo Lopez Alonso 31.01.2021 | 08:36. Source: The Opinion of Murcia

Post Office in the rural world.

The postman in Spain continues to be a symbol of connection between the rural world and the center of economic activity. The emptied Spain, the smaller towns or urbanizations with less population density have the Internet and teleworking as one of the keys to future development and the public entity Correos sees an opportunity for growth and wants to equip itself with multi-service offices, beyond the administrative or parcel delivery window. The public postal service, widely implemented in Spain through Correos, reaches places where the great e-commerce giants are unlikely to be able to discover business opportunities. But the public budget of Correos has been cut for this year from 180 to 128 million and the agency needs to raise its income.

To boost postal activity in rural areas, Correos is committed to Correos Market, a marketing platform for craft products with which it seeks to bring local vendors closer to any citizen and even foreign consumers. Created in 2019, the platform currently has 785 companies, which have 6,872 products for sale, according to data from this week. In the Post office they assure that "the generation of business opportunities in rural areas and the continuous improvement of their communication channels are the optimal way to fight against depopulation". The initiative is viewed favorably by the staff, although it is criticized that there is a lack of investment to adapt the vehicles to the distribution of perishable products.

Another strategy to boost and take advantage of rural infrastructure are agreements with insurers or banks. In 2019, the entity offered its offices to the financial sector to reach the municipalities where branches and ATMs are disappearing. The president of Correos, Juan Manuel Serrano, signed an agreement with Banco Santander at the end of last year to offer, as of the first quarter of this year, cash withdrawal and deposit services at 4,675 Correos citizen service points (in 2,393 offices and 2,282 rural service points). Third-party financial services offered by Correos range from contracting products to making deposits or withdrawing money. Correos maintains agreements, in addition to Santander, with Mediolanum, Evo Banco and Bancofar, but aspires to more.

Correos has 2,393 offices throughout Spain, of which 1,297 are located in rural areas and in whose spheres of influence 15 million people live. The Spanish postal giant has 53,000 employees (20% of them civil servants) of which some 5,470 are assigned to rural areas. It is estimated that they travel 320,000 kilometers daily.

The unions fear that the budget restrictions will condemn Correos to cut means and reduce delivery frequencies in rural environments, "discriminating against and abandoning the empty Spain in front of the urban Spain", they explain. In Correos they defend the global strategic commitment to the rural environment and give the Correos Market as an example and the attempt to bring products of the economic activity of the town to the city. Correos is also running to create local virtual markets. An example is the use of the postal code as a proximity virtual sales identifier. This initiative to link the postal code to a market place is a way forward.

The public postal service with Correos is insured until at least 2026. The agreement includes mailings of letters and packages of up to 20 kilos. Correos has already achieved a market share of 45% in shipments as a result of online commerce and is betting on this market from which it cannot leave rural areas out. The operator managed 196.56 million packages last year.

But the efforts of Correos to promote and improve rural business, within the framework of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategies and the assigned public service, sometimes collide with efficiency and results. For example, in Sant Cebrià de Vallalta, a town in the Maresme region with 3,385 inhabitants, the decision has been made to reorganize work in the distribution unit. There are six postmen and they use their own vehicles (20 cents per kilometer). But from March they will be assigned to other nearby towns (Canet and Calella) during their entire working day. The customer service office is only open three hours a day, too limited hours according to the city council. The clerk in charge will distribute mail four hours and another three will be in the office. It is an example of Correos' strategy of optimizing available resources and adapting the workforce to the greater workloads of other areas. It is applied throughout Spain, and especially when defining coverage in areas with low population density. And in parallel, the offices serve as a link to process permits and manage certificates, but also to buy tickets for shows, buy prepaid phone cards, pay bills or buy coupons from Once.

Post office workers recognize that postal activity has not been reduced. That there are more and more packages to distribute and that many of them are from Amazon. There is an express order from the management so that urgent packages have priority. It is not profitable for Amazon or the express mail firms to reach an empty Spain and those areas that the Post Office classifies as “special environments”.

The Regional Craft Centers adapt their schedule to the new regulations against COVID. 

The new schedule until normality is restored will be from Monday to Friday from 9:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

With this new schedule, we are trying to combat the third wave of this pandemic.

The artisan sector has been very affected during the year 2020, since they have not been able to market their products in the craft shows that were held. Being the Crafts Centers of the Region of Murcia and the website murciaartesana.carm.es their only sources of income. Therefore, it is essential that the general public bet on these local products, local products that are made in the Region of Murcia and have a direct impact on the circular economy.

In these centers the public can find different products, food, home decoration, personal accessories, natural cosmetics, nativity scenes, ceramics, glass, esparto grass, natural silk and much more.

Surprise with artisan label.

The 36th edition of the Christmas Craft Show can now be visited at the Paseo de Alfonso X el Sabio in Murcia, and will remain open to the public until January 5, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., on December 24 and 31 until 3:00 p.m., and will remain closed on December 25 and January 1.

This year the number of stands has been reduced to 47, compared to the last edition when 78 were installed, with each artisan having a single 3×2 meter booth. The sample has two islands, complying with the sanitary conditions. The first island is from the beginning of Alfonso X to the intersection with Jaime I, and the second island from this intersection towards the Plaza Circular.

Access is from the sides and it will not be possible to access from the front of the exhibition, with a security fence to control entry and exit, with a capacity limitation per island of 50 people.

In addition, the stands are covered with a transparent security screen and there is a delimited area for each stand with a maximum capacity of two people per booth. It will be controlled that the public entered the exhibition with a mask and there are hydroalcoholic gels at the entrance and exit of each island, and at each stand. There is temperature control of the participating artisans before the start of the show.

The celebration of the Christmas Craft Show is part of the plan to reactivate the craft economy launched by the Ministry of Business, Industry and Spokesperson.

The General Director of Consumption and Crafts has authorized the Collaboration of the Ministry of Business, Industry and Spokesperson with the Belencribs Association for the Organization of the Special Competition for Nativity Scenes in the Region of Murcia.

Within the framework of the competences of the Ministry of Industry, Business and Spokesperson consisting of the conservation, recovery and dissemination of the artisan manifestations of the Region of Murcia, and the promotion of the permanence of those already existing; and as an instrument for the implementation of these programs, Carolina Espinosa, General Director of Consumption and Crafts, has authorized the collaboration with the Belencribs Association, in the Organization of the Special Contest of Nativity Scenes of the Region of Murcia, as a promotion measure focused on a special protection of the nativity scene activity as a craft form that constitutes a manifestation of the popular culture of the Region of Murcia and as a differentiating and complementary element of the artistic expression of the nativity scene artisans sector.

The Murcia Region Special Nativity Scene Contest 2020 aims to encourage and promote the assembly of the nativity scene for Christmas in the Region of Murcia for the year 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic.

The Belencribs International Network Association will be in charge of organizing the event, and the competition will be in a single category, “Family Nativity Scenes”. Trophies will be awarded to the top three finishers and diplomas to all participants.

As relevant elements of the Contest Bases, the special assessment of the use of figures made by artisans from the Region of Murcia, references to representative characteristics of the municipalities of the Region of Murcia, the promotion of the nativity scene, the realization of the nativity scene in family , with intergenerational participation, the use of recycled materials, and/or the reproduction of the environment that surrounded the birth and childhood of Jesus, in Palestine, among other multiple criteria.

The application submission date will end on Thursday, December 17, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. Requests may be made through instant messaging, through the Whatsapp application, as a particularly agile and accessible means for all citizens.

The organizing entity will assess the applications submitted and will select a maximum of 10 applications, which will be submitted to the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts for the assessment of the jury, appointed from among people of recognized prestige with links to crafts and the assembly of nativity scenes, will assess the nominations and select the winners.

The awards ceremony will be given the appropriate importance, solemnity and publicity.

For these Christmas holidays, the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts has prepared a small catalog of artisan products, which contains both births made by renowned nativity scenes from the Region of Murcia and Christmas baskets with artisan and ecological specialties.

CATALOG “THIS CHRISTMAS SURPRISES WITH ARTISAN LABELS”

If you want to buy these products, they are available at the Murcia Regional Craft Center. You can contact us and place your order by calling the phone number: 968 357 537 or in the mail
electronic centroartesaniamurcia@salzillosi.com

"The artisan baskets can vary and change products according to your preferences"

In this time of dreams and illusions, we wanted to make the task easier and show the variety and quality of our regional craft products, offering from the Murcia Regional Craft Center the possibility of ordering your gifts in advance and having them ready for when the time comes. .

It is, therefore, about local producers and local products that try to satisfy all types of public with the maximum guarantees of artisan quality. Therefore, our goal is that they can be marketed jointly to reach all citizens and highlighting the label "Crafts from the Region of Murcia".

I invite you to evaluate the possibility of making gifts with an artisan label this year and to contribute in this way to supporting a sector that is in a difficult situation due to the current health circumstances.

Last Saturday, November 14, 2020, the hatbox carmen navarro, member of the Spanish Association of Headwear, participated along with 10 other Murcian designers, in a spectacular and unprecedented parade in the halls of the Museum of Fine Arts of Murcia (MUBAM) as an artisan from the Region of Murcia.

An action organized by Murcia Mediterranean Footbridge framed within its third edition, where watercolor paper was the main material used by the designers to make each of the pieces that were presented in the parade, pieces inspired by the Exhibition MASTERS OF THE SPANISH BAROQUE, which is currently in the Museum dictation.

“Landscape” and “Blond” were the two pieces that the hat box Carmen Navarro designed for the parade using sheets of watercolor paper for its realization, combining it with materials traditionally used in millinery, such as feathers, straw, glass, silk... Traditional millinery techniques were adapted to work with paper in order to achieve the shapes and desired volumes.

Aid for artisans has received 99 applications, of which 56 have been admitted for a total of 137 projects. There are 36 applications for 71 projects on the waiting list and 7 applications have been rejected for not presenting the required documentation or not meeting the minimum requirements.

Last month, the Ministry of Business, Industry and Spokesperson called for subsidies aimed at artisans, craft companies and companies at the service of Crafts in the Region of Murcia with the aim of helping them maintain, reactivate and boost their economic activity in the face of the pandemic. of Covid-19.

The total amount of this line of subsidies is 175,000 euros, a budget that this year has increased by 118 percent over the previous year. A maximum amount of 4,000 euros of aid is established for individual artisans and artisan companies in creative trades with a subsidy percentage of 90 percent; a maximum of 3,000 euros in the trades of food with a percentage of subsidy of 70 percent; and a maximum amount of 2,000 euros for companies serving crafts, with a 50 percent subsidy rate.

The beneficiaries are craft companies, individual craftsmen and craft service companies with a workforce of less than ten workers, dedicated to the production of craft products or offering services to crafts and whose craft workshop or service center is located in the Region. of Murcia.

Investments made in craft workshops for the maintenance and economic reactivation that allow modifying or increasing the activity, such as actions of innovation, design, production, marketing, communication, training or improvement of quality, are considered eligible projects and expenses. among other.

The General Director of Consumption and Crafts, Carolina Espinosa, highlighted that "in this crisis situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, artisans have been forced to significantly reduce their activity and are being particularly affected, so it is urgent to provide them with a economic support that allows them to face the present and future situation in the best conditions”. In this sense, he added that "from the Ministry of Business extraordinary measures are being taken to preserve, maintain and reactivate this strategic sector for entrepreneurship and the economy of the Region".

The deadline to vote for the Craft Awards of the Region of Murcia 2020, convened by the Ministry of Business, Industry and Spokesperson through the General Directorate of Consumption and Crafts, remains open until next Monday, November 23 at 8:00 p.m.: 30 hours in person and until 24:00 hours 'online'.

The awards recognize excellent and exemplary performance in the field of crafts. Among its objectives is to encourage innovation, design and the ability to adapt to the market of the regional artisan sector.

The general director of Consumption and Crafts, Carolina Espinosa, explained that "the amount of the prizes has increased by 20 percent compared to the previous year, and we intend to honor the work of the artisans, for their creativity and ability to adapt to the times of crisis and, in short, spread the best practices of the sector”.

37 applications have been submitted for all categories. The Regional Craft Center of Murcia has a ballot box for the public to vote, and it can also be done 'online' at the link https://forms.gle/mmWccGWNRyhUHLaM9.%20Las%20candidaturas%20están%20disponibles%20en%20https://murciaartesana.carm.es/agenda/#1562756622364-800d41e0-5d17. As for those made by citizens in the evaluation phase, they will be considered as one vote by the jury for each category.

Along with the exhibition of the candidates for the awards, visitors can find in the Regional Center more than 500 artisan products, from hand-painted masks to nativity scenes from prestigious Murcian nativity scenes, as well as food products that can help you select Christmas gifts with craft label.

Prize categories and endowment

Eight categories have been established: 'Regional Craft Award'; Artisan Product; Artisan Entrepreneurship; Promotion of Crafts to public and private entities; Artisan Nativity Scene; Food Crafts and New Talents.

The Regional Craft Award is endowed with 3,000 euros, and recognizes the set of a work and a consolidated career. The other eight categories are all endowed with 1,500 euros, such as the 'Artisan Product Award', which will value those artisan products or collections made and marketed in the two years prior to the call.

The 'Artisan Entrepreneurship Award' will go to the entrepreneur who has stood out for the introduction of new concepts in the sector, in areas such as product, distribution, marketing or design.

The category 'Prize for the Promotion of Crafts for Private Entities' and the one corresponding to 'Public Entities', without financial endowment, will recognize the best programs, campaigns or initiatives to promote this activity.

As for the 'Artisan Nativity Award', the products or collections of nativity scenes marketed in the two years prior to the call will be distinguished. The one for 'Food Crafts' will reward those artisans and their food products that are consistent with factors of competitiveness.

For the 'New Talent Award', the work carried out by those students enrolled at the University or at any School in the Region of Murcia in studies related to crafts will be awarded.

Statements by the General Director of Consumption and Crafts