This month, I am honored to share an interview with Astrid Suzano, co-founder of Passa Ao Futuro, along with Fatima Durkee, who we miss dearly but whose spirit remains with all whom she touched. Together, Astrid and Fatima founded Passa Ao Futuro, one of the most inspiring projects I’ve come across working within this sector. Its mission is to preserve, promote, innovate, activate, and celebrate the Portuguese artisan sector through a series of initiatives utilizing design thinking.
Like many countries, Portugal is experiencing a significant transition in the craft sector, with both an aging generation of master artisans and a growing interest from younger generations. We dive into this topic among several others, exploring the future of craft in Portugal and how Passa Ao Futuro is approaching this shift. They have a thoughtful outlook, balancing tradition and innovation, fostering collaborations between craftspeople and designers, honoring traditional techniques while also appealing to new contemporary markets to ensure these skills are passed down and sustained.