The European Crafts Alliance has published a new sector report exploring the connection between craft and wellbeing. Crafting Health and Wellbeing was commissioned by the ECA and conducted by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland. The study brings together evidence from scientific literature, a Europe-wide survey, and interviews with craft practitioners, educators, and healthcare staff. 

 The findings present crafting as an evidence-based approach to supporting mental health. The report highlights potential benefits for stress reduction, social connection, cognitive function, and meaningful offline engagement. It also underlines the need to recognise and support the professionals who make these community wellbeing practices possible. 

 Across Europe, craft is increasingly being explored beyond its cultural and economic value. Practices such as working with clay, wood, or textiles are finding their way into rehabilitation programmes, community health initiatives, and social prescribing networks. 

 This new resource is particularly relevant for the Tracks4Crafts project. It reinforces the wider value of craft skills in contemporary society and shows that craft knowledge is not only part of Europe’s heritage. The sector is deeply connected to sustainability, lifelong learning, social participation, and public health. 

 The research was officially presented at the ECA Annual Conference in Florence on 30 April 2026. Titled Crafting Wellbeing: Practices, Communities and the Power of Making, the event was co-organised by Artex and presented in collaboration with Firenze Fiera during the 90th anniversary of the MIDA exhibition. 

 The full sector report is now available to download. A complete video recording is also available online for those who wish to revisit the presentations, case studies, and discussions from the Florence event. 

 To see how these findings translate into real-world practice, you can also join the ECA’s upcoming New European Bauhaus webinar taking place on 10 June, featuring a keynote on craft psychology and three European case studies. 

Read the report: https://europeancraftsalliance.org/crafting-health-and-wellbeing-a-european-crafts-alliance-sector-report/

Watch the conference recording: https://europeancraftsalliance.org/eca-annual-conference-2026-crafting-wellbeing/

Register for the ECA NEB Webinar: The Role of Craft in Wellbeing Across Life Stages: https://europeancraftsalliance.org/neb-webinar-the-role-of-craft-in-wellbeing-across-life-stages/