From 6 to 8 November 2026, over 80 selected craftspeople will gather at Cardona Castle, a historic fortress in Catalonia, Spain, to connect traditional craftsmanship with architecture, interior design and hospitality.

Organised by the CCAM – Consortium of Commerce, Crafts and Fashion of Catalonia together with Le Departement,  with the support of the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia, Cardona Town Council and Cardona Turisme, the fair has a clear purpose: to connect outstanding craftspeople with professionals seeking authenticity, quality and uniqueness for their projects, while bringing the value of traditional crafts closer to the general public.

This first edition of the fair will take place at Cardona Castle, one of Catalonia’s most significant medieval monumental complexes. The choice of venue highlights a territory historically linked to the Salt Mountain, whose exploitation played a fundamental role in Cardona’s economic and social development.

Over three days, more than 80 craftspeople will present their work across disciplines including ceramics, wood, metal, glass, natural fibres, textiles, paper and jewellery, offering a journey through techniques, materials and knowledge rooted in craft. The first edition will bring together makers from countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas, with a strong Catalan presence highlighting the richness and diversity of local crafts.

Catalonia as an epicentre of craft know-how

Participants include Xavier Mas, a master woodworker known for reinterpreting traditional cabinetmaking techniques in contemporary pieces of great precision and sensitivity; Carol Fleischman, a leading figure in handcrafted paper and textiles, whose work explores material  experimentation and manual processes; and Jordi Aguilera, a ceramicist who champions wheel-throwing and hand-finishing through a restrained language deeply rooted in the Mediterranean tradition.

Catalan representation will play a leading role in this first edition, with more than 30 craftspeople working in Catalonia, including both Catalan-born makers and international creatives who have chosen the region to establish their workshops and develop their professional practice. They include Olga Kirienko, specialising in textiles; Siyu Liu, based in Barcelona, whose work creates a dialogue between different craft traditions and contemporary design; and Vanesa Lara, who works from her studio in Igualada with natural fibres applied to both fashion and home décor.

A dialogue between territories and institutions

OFICI will also bring together institutions and collectives committed to the preservation, promotion and transmission of craft traditions. Among them is the European Crafts Alliance (ECA), which will present Crafted Origins, an exhibition dedicated to European Geographical Indications (GIs) for craft and industrial products, protecting products whose identity and know-how are closely linked to a specific territory. The exhibition will bring together works that reflect the relationship between local resources, inherited knowledge and generations of craft practice.

The Creative Industries Institute will present Material Imagination or Poetics of Dirty Hands, an exhibition featuring the work of 10 Polish craftspeople and exploring the dialogue between craftsmanship, materials and nature. Through clay, wood, glass and natural fibres, the participating artisans combine ancestral techniques with experimentation and contemporary forms of expression. Each piece celebrates the value of time, the creative process and the imperfections that make handmade work unique. The exhibition also fosters dialogue between European creative communities, territories and craft traditions.

A professional programme exploring the value of craft

The fair will feature a professional programme designed to broaden the conversation around craft, heritage and their place in contemporary society. On Saturday, 7 November, from 12:00 to 13:00, the roundtable discussion “The Role of Traditional Craftsmanship in Contemporary Society” will bring together renowned interior designer Tomás Alía, Pepa Entrena, founder of Cocol, a Madrid-based store specialising in craftsmanship, and Laura Miguel, Secretary General of the European Crafts Alliance (ECA). Together, they will explore the relevance of traditional crafts today, their relationship with contemporary design and their role in preserving and reinterpreting cultural heritage.

Later that day, from 16:30 to 18:00, the Association for the Study of Furniture (AEM) will present “More than a Chest of Drawers: The Secrets of an 18th-Century Prie-Dieu”, a case study led by historian and restorer Joan Güell Solà. The session will take place in front of the piece itself, allowing participants to examine the distinctive features of a Catalan Baroque chest of drawers-prie-dieu.

100 years of craftsmanship with Maserati

Maserati will sponsor this first edition of OFICI, reinforcing the fair’s connection with the values of excellence, design and know-how. This year, the Italian brand celebrates 100 years of its iconic Trident, a symbol created in 1926 and inspired by the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna, which over the course of a century has become an expression of Italian design and excellence. The collaboration with OFICI brings this tradition into dialogue with contemporary craft culture.