Everywhere we see a growing interest and appreciation for handmade objects and a resurgence in handmade activities. Crafting seems to be the perfect antidote to our digital world allowing us to slow down, focus and be absorbed in a single activity. Lisbon as a creative city is also experiencing an increasing number of craft workshops combining learning and personal connections. Margarida Aires Mateus, the founder of the Lisbon based arts and crafts school Artlier has been a pioneer in this creativity landscape.
In this interview, we spend time discussing this trend with her.
Can you tell us more about your background and training in the UK?
I've always had a strong connection with the applied arts and crafts. I had the opportunity to further my studies in the United Kingdom, where I attended specialized training in Cabinet Making and Furniture Restoration. There, I learned traditional joinery, fine carpentry, and restoration techniques. It was a remarkable experience, combining artisanal tradition with a contemporary vision of design and heritage preservation. I brought with me not only technical skills but also an attention to detail and the aesthetic and historical value of objects, something that remains with me today at Artlier.
Why an arts and crafts school in Lisbon?
The choice of Lisbon was natural. It's my hometown, deeply marked by traditions such as ceramics, carpentry, and tile-making, but also by the gradual loss of these skills. I felt Lisbon needed a space where one could learn to work with their hands, in an environment of sharing and experimentation. The city is full of creative energy, but it lacked a space that revived traditional knowledge and connected it to the present. Artlier was born from these observations: to create a school where different generations could come together to learn, create and restore with their hands and time.
How important is it to do things together around the table?
Working side by side brings us closer. When we sit together sanding wood, shaping clay, or knitting, we share rhythms, doubts, and discoveries without the need for many words. There's something very human about concentrating on a manual project while feeling the presence of others. It's a conviviality that transcends technique and creates true bonds.
Who are your students?
Our students are diverse: curious young people, professionals from other fields seeking a creative outlet, and older people who finally find the time to learn something they've always wanted to learn. What unites them is curiosity and a desire to create with their hands!
What change have you seen in interest in arts and crafts?
I see enormous growth. Arts and crafts are no longer seen as outdated and are now sought after as a form of expression, well-being, and sustainability. People seek to make something tangible, to experience the process, not just achieve the result. It's also a means to tell their stories. At Artlier, we feel this directly.
What developments have you seen in the arts and crafts education in Lisbon?
In recent years, there has been a significant and positive growth in schools, studios, and workshops dedicated to arts and crafts. There's more demand and, consequently, more response. Artlier was also born in this context, with the desire to create a space dedicated to arts and crafts that was inclusive, open to all ages and experience levels. Lisbon is beginning to have a stronger network of places that value manual labor, and this contributes to an increasingly vibrant and diverse creative environment.
What have you noticed about Lisbon's creative community today?
Lisbon's creative community is increasingly open, dynamic, and collaborative, with artists, artisans, and designers developing collaborative projects. Initiatives like Lisbon Design Week are crucial for highlighting this energy, putting Lisbon on the map, as is the case with other major capitals, while also highlighting the work of local creators.
What do you think of Lisbon's cultural dynamism?
Lisbon is experiencing a very intense cultural moment. There are large, institutional projects, but also a huge force in independent, smaller initiatives. Artlier is part of this energy—it began as a local initiative and finds fertile ground in the city to grow and meet the needs of this same dynamism. This balance between large and small initiative gives the city vitality and keeps it in constant movement.
