Barcelos Creative City is an initiative of the Municipality of Barcelos, integrated into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of Crafts and Folk Art.

The project affirms Barcelos as a territory of creativity, culture, and innovation, valuing local identity and traditional knowledge, particularly craftsmanship and design. It promotes the connection between tradition and contemporaneity, encouraging artistic creation, creative entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.

Developed in collaboration with the local community, artisans, creators, cultural associations, educational institutions, and other partners, Barcelos Creative City positions the municipality as a dynamic creative hub, open to national and international cooperation.

UNESCO Creative Cities Network is an international initiative created in 2004 that brings together cities from around the world which place culture and creativity at the heart of their development strategies.

By joining the network, a city commits to using creative fields — such as music, literature, gastronomy, design, film, crafts, media arts, among others — as drivers of economic growth, social inclusion, innovation, and the improvement of citizens’ quality of life.

– It’s currently a certified production that has reinvented itself in forms and concepts, in the light of the appearance of new materials and utensils, but maintaining its authenticity as an identity art of the county of Barcelos.

Barcelos Imagery started as a subsidiary activity of pottery, using small portions of clay and occupying the spaces left free in the oven by the main set of pieces of bigger dimensions. They were small figures shaped in the form of people and animals and on their base was placed a whistle or some musical instruments (harmonica, ocarina, nightingales, cuckoos…). Their function was merely a playful one.

The timber is a raw material used in the production of decorative and utilitarian pieces, reason why also in Barcelos there are some craftsmen who work this raw material in a detailed and artistic form. The most common pieces are wooden miniatures, which mostly represent scenes of rural life (granaries, rakes, looms, spindles, etc.) and toys. In terms of larger pieces, are essentially produced, agricultural utensils, rustic furniture and religious items.

This type of craftsmanship is greatly appreciated for the detailed work and variety of pieces. The work of the raw material, difficult by nature, culminates in objects of rare beauty and aesthetic magnificent. With the exception of some utilities (lamps, pots, vases, poultices, alembics, etc.), the majority of the pieces produced are for decorative purposes, such as, chandeliers, watering cans, lamps, candle supports, oilers, among others . One of the pieces most appreciated by tourists are the famous Barcelos Rooster in iron or copper.

The art of embroidery and weaving is a longstanding tradition in the municipality of Barcelos, particularly in the parish of Carreira. The well-known Bordado de Crivo de S. Miguel da Carreira has an ancient tradition, distinguished by its unique characteristics, intricate detail, and distinctive forms, setting it apart from other embroideries from the Minho region.

In Barcelos, there are still artisans across many parishes who weave on traditional looms and practice embroidery using time-honoured techniques, preserving knowledge and skills that for many years formed the economic foundation of several local communities.

Basketry and Wicker are an indispensable element for the knowledge and enjoyment of regional handicrafts. Throughout all the county, we can also find artisans, who individually or in the family, produce basketry pieces, either with a utilitarian or a bold and innovative decorative sense. The most common pieces are the traditional baskets, for domestic and decorative uses or to the handling of traditional agriculture.