Eighty-eight years and not hearing them. The International Crafts Exhibition (MIDA) opened yesterday in Florence, promoted and organized by Firenze Fiera, in collaboration with the main institutions and trade associations. The event at the Fortezza da Basso – which will close its doors on May 1st – thus reconfirms its record as the first ‘artisan’ fair in Italy, reaching the finish line of the 88th edition.
Lovers of ‘know-how’ and beauty will be able to discover unique pieces, visiting the treasure chests of historic workshops and the numerous experiential workshops. Places where the know-how of master craftsmen is combined with the experiments of the new generations. Creativity, beauty, innovation and sustainability for a ‘handmade’ future – in step with new trends in taste, the environment and the market – represent the guidelines of the event.
MIDA 2024 – certified Iso 20121 as a sustainable event – is an unmissable event for anyone who wishes to spend a day inside a historic fortress, in the heart of Florence. In the pavilions, in the ancient rooms and in the open-air squares you will be able to wander among the thousand proposals of clothing and accessories, furnishing accessories, design and innovation, goldsmithing, jewelry and costume jewellery, beauty and well-being and international craftsmanship. Or let yourself be tempted by the flavors of local and multi-ethnic food and wine.
The exhibition remains in full health: this is demonstrated by the number of exhibitors present (530), up by 18% compared to 2023, distributed over an area of 34 thousand square metres. A further testimony to the strength of MIDA for the launch of contemporary craftsmanship, which should attract even more visitors this year, exceeding the 65 thousand of the last edition.
Foreign exhibitors are also increasing, coming from Belgium, France, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, Ecuador, China, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, Syria, Singapore, the United States United States, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine and Vietnam. Artisan companies, designers, young makers and start-ups will be protagonists at Fortezza da Basso, combining the charm of tradition with the attractiveness of new technologies.
The Cavaniglia pavilion then hosts the selected projects and exhibitions for the valorization of international contemporary artistic craftsmanship, starting from Tuscany. The Historical Archive of the Tuscany Region with the Archive of the Maggio Musicale and the support of Artex presents ‘The exhibition on display: the artisan professions in the theatre’, an emotional, informative and didactic journey of historical pieces from the Archive of the Maggio .
Of note are three large group exhibitions of Chinese artists, the large participation of artisans from Iran and a cooperative from Egypt. Twenty-five women will exhibit fabric artefacts in Florence, made with the Talli technique – also known as Assuit – an ancient form of embroidery with metal thread, demonstrating the power of work as a tool for female redemption.
