From 1 to 25 September, the Centro de Artesanía de Castilla y León (CEARCAL) will host an exhibition presenting the main results and materials developed within the European MASKS project. The initiative is dedicated to researching, preserving and transmitting the crafts, techniques and knowledge associated with traditional European masks and masquerades.
Alongside masks and craft pieces, visitors will find photographs and videos documenting not only the final works, but also the research, training and creative processes behind them.
A central section is devoted to the three international mobilities held during summer 2026 in Bucharest, Bragança and Valladolid. Students, craftspeople, teachers and specialists from several countries shared knowledge and worked directly with techniques connected to masks, costume and traditional masquerade crafts.
Three territories, three learning experiences
Bucharest, Romania
The first mobility took place from 29 June to 4 July and involved 12 students and craftspeople from Romania, Italy and Spain. The National Museum of the Romanian Peasant was one of the main training venues, offering an anthropological, museological and heritage-based perspective on masks. The programme also included fieldwork on the Cucii din Brănești, a tradition that remains an active part of its community’s cultural life.
Bragança, Portugal
In Bragança, 19 participants from Portugal, Spain and Italy explored the heritage of the Caretos of Trás-os-Montes. The residency combined an introduction to these masquerades with practical workshops in mask making, metalworking, and the production of textile and costume elements, guided by craftspeople and specialists.
Valladolid, Spain
Valladolid hosted the third mobility from 6 to 10 July. Organised by CEARCAL/FOACAL, it brought together 19 university students and craftspeople connected with the University of Bucharest, the University of Valladolid, CEARCAL/FOACAL and the Centro de Formação Profissional para o Artesanato e Património – CEARTE.
Training focused especially on wood carving and natural fibres such as willow and bulrush. Participants experimented directly with materials, tools and processes used to create masks, costume and other elements associated with traditional masquerades.
What lies behind a mask
MASKS – Unveiling the Arts and Works behind the Masks approaches masks and masquerades as expressions of living cultural heritage, where craftsmanship, identity, ritual, creativity and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge come together.
The project identifies, documents and preserves the knowledge and skills involved in creating masks, costume and other elements connected with these celebrations. It combines research, training content, practical experiences, digital tools, dissemination activities and international mobilities, paying particular attention to passing this knowledge on to new generations.
The exhibition makes the relationship between heritage and practice visible. Wood, natural fibres, metal and textiles show that behind every mask lie tools, techniques, learning processes, craft knowledge and communities that have kept these traditions alive for generations. Masquerades are therefore presented not simply as festive events or remnants of the past, but as living heritage whose future depends on the continuation of the crafts and knowledge that sustain them.
Plan your visit
Dates: 1–25 September 2026
Venue: CEARCAL, Calle Valle de Arán 7, Valladolid
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00–14:00
Admission: Free
Press contact
Félix Sanz · FOACAL
info@foacal.es · +34 983 32 05 03 · www.foacal.es
About CEARCAL and FOACAL
The Centro de Artesanía de Castilla y León (CEARCAL) is a training and dissemination centre dedicated to promoting craftsmanship in the region.
Managed by the Federación de Organizaciones Artesanas de Castilla y León (FOACAL), the centre offers courses, workshops and exhibitions designed to preserve and promote artistic crafts. FOACAL represents and supports professionals in the sector while fostering innovation and sustainability in craftsmanship.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9u56wLXF6g&t=3s
