Non-formal education: where tradition meets transmission
Non-formal education is often overlooked — yet it plays a critical role in sustaining cultural heritage, supporting adult learning, and transmitting skills that formal systems rarely preserve. It is embedded in communities, guided by experience, and powered by intergenerational exchange.
In April 2025, the BRICKS Project launched its first study visit in Gdańsk, Poland, to explore this vital but under-recognised dimension of education. Over three days, participants from across Europe engaged with artisans, educators, and institutions who are shaping the future of craft learning — not through academic curricula, but through lived practice.
This visit marked the beginning of a deeper inquiry: How can we strengthen, support, and elevate non-formal education in the crafts sector? And how can this model of learning contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable, and culturally rich Europe?
Craft is not only about hands — it’s about heart, identity, and resilience.
Voices from Gdańsk: Reflections on craft and learning
The BRICKS study visit in Gdańsk offered more than an introduction to local practices — it revealed the depth and diversity of non-formal education across cultures. Below, participants share reflections that underscore the importance of preserving and professionalising craft knowledge through community-based learning.
Knowledge in Practice: a legacy in clay
At the Necel Pottery Studio in Chmielno, visitors witnessed the continuity of knowledge passed down through ten generations. Beyond the technical skill, the studio embodies a long-standing form of education rooted in apprenticeship and community.
We’re not just preserving techniques — we’re sustaining identities shaped over centuries.
The meaning of a stitch: Kashubian embroidery
During a session at the National Museum in Gdańsk, master embroiderer Elżbieta Żuławska shared her personal journey into the world of Kashubian embroidery — a regional art form rich in symbolism and tradition.
I began at 20. Over time, I realised these stitches carry more than colour — they carry memory, pride, and a way of life.
Non-formal learning as cultural infrastructure
At the Kashubian Folk University in Szymbark, participants encountered a holistic approach to adult education — one where tradition, inclusion, and personal development converge.
This is education as a public good — responsive to community, free from rigid systems, and grounded in relevance.
Challenges and Commitments
During the visit, a recurring concern was the sustainability of non-formal education: limited funding, lack of recognition, and declining participation among younger generations. Yet participants also left with a renewed sense of purpose.
Innovation must begin with respect for tradition — and support for those who carry it.
The transmission of craft cannot depend solely on passion. It needs structure, recognition, and support.
