Artisan Certificate / UPA - Crafts and Design Centre of the Azores

The Artisan Certificate (UPA)

Request for the Recognition of Craft Production Units – [Unidades Produtivas Artesanais – UPA]

The definition of the Statute of the Artisan and the Craft Production Units is one of the lines of action of CEARTE- Centro de Formação Profissional para o Artesanato e Património, which includes the Autonomous Region of the Azores, represented by the Regional Secretariat for Youth, Professional Qualification and Employment, through the Crafts and Design Center of the Azores.
The Decree-Law no. 41/2011, from February 9th, which has approved the Statute of the Artisan and the Craft Production Units, clearly defines the concepts of craft related activities, artisan and craft production unit, predicting the respective recognition process and creating the National Registry for Handicrafts.
This national diploma, whose implementation in the Azores rests with the Crafts and Design Center of the Azores, is then, a legal tool that sets, defines and regulates the economic activities associated with arts and crafts, contributing to the ennoblement of the trade and experts, and for the recognition of the fundamental role in the development of the local economy and job creation.
The Decree no. 1193/2003 of October 13th, defines the legal procedures related to the recognition of the artisans and of the Handicraft Production Units, and sets the rules for the organization and functioning of the National Handicrafts Registry. This process was equally regulated in Decree no. 20/2004 of March 18th.

DEFINITION OF ARTISAN
An artisan is a person who is self-employed or employed by others in a craft activity, and is part of a recognized Handicraft Production Unit, of whom it is required:

•Mastery of the knowledge and techniques related to the activity

•A refined aesthetic sense and manual skill.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RECOGNITION OF ARTISANS

General conditions

The recognition of the artisan status is done by assigning a title known as “The Artisan Certificate” to one or more handicraft activities, as long as each activity respects all the following conditions:

• Dedication to the activity in a professional level

• Exercise the activity in a recognized Handicraft Production Unit (including their own self- employment)

• Development of a constant activity in the Craft Activities Repertoire.