The artisans and Artisan Production Units (UPAs) of the Azores that applied this year to the Azores Handicraft Development Incentive System (SIDART) will receive a total of €200,000 in public support. The funds were recently approved by the Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing, and Employment, Maria João Carreiro.

According to a press release from the Government of the Azores, 150 applications were approved. Of these, 71 are for co-financing investments in UPAs, 44 for product qualification and innovation projects, 30 for investment projects to boost the sector, and five for investments in training.

“SIDART is a unique incentive system in the country. Due to its scope and predictability, it has stimulated, every year, a series of investments not only in the defense and safeguarding of artisanal production, but also in its promotion, qualification, and innovation,” explains Maria João Carreiro.

For the first time, the submission, processing, and validation of applications took place exclusively on the Azores Handicrafts portal, at artesanato.azores.gov.pt.

“The new digital address of Artesanato dos Açores, launched in December 2024, streamlined procedures and, above all, further strengthened communication and proximity between the Azores Handicraft and Design Center [CADA], a public service of excellence, and artisans and craft companies,” emphasizes Maria João Carreiro.

Applications for SIDART open annually and support ranges from a minimum of €200 to a maximum of €20,000, and the support is non-refundable. The contribution covers up to 50 percent of eligible expenses for applications from the islands of São Miguel and Terceira, and 60 percent for the other islands in the archipelago.

In Diário da Lagoa, Clife Botelho, director.

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADE