Arts and Crafts news
Tax rebate in favour of Arts and Crafts businesses in the domains of design and innovation
At the Rencontres nationales des métiers d’art, Hervé Novelli, Secretary of State for Companies and foreign trade, announced that tax measures in favour of Arts and Crafts businesses were to be extended. Initially, this tax rebate stipulated in article 45 of the amended French finance law (loi de finances rectificative) for 2005, applied to expenses for 2006-2007. The amended French finance law for 2007 (law n°2007-1824 of 25th December 2007) defers this period to 2010. It should be noted that expenses eligible to this tax rebate include R&D for new products, prototypes and samples. Companies with minimum 30 % of staff working in the Arts and Crafts, industrial companies working in the Arts and Crafts sectors and companies with the "Entreprise du patrimoine vivant" label are entitled to the tax rebate. The tax rebate represents maximum 10 % of eligible expenses without limit (and 15 % for EPV companies). This rebate is deductible from income tax or corporation tax. It can therefore be used by company associates, provided that certain conditions are met.For further information, please see the SEMA Website www.metiersdart-artisanat.com (News section) and www.patrimoine-vivant.com and www.impots.gouv.fr
The Baccarat "Pôle Bijou" Jewellery Centre
Baccarat: Rural Centre of Excellence, City of Arts and Crafts, the cradle of crystal-making. It has now produced the "Pôle Bijou" project for the Crystal Districts Community. This is aimed towards professionals working in the jewellery sector who want to set up and participate in a project that combines a variety of complementary skill-areas. This project has been built up around numerous factors - economic aspects, promotion, training, research and development. After its contemporary jewellery exhibition in 2006, the "Pôle Bijou" turned its attention to jewellery schools at the end of 2007. In 2008, it continued along the same lines, organising training days and business start-up days in the sector. The project coordinators are working on site, despite unfinished building-works for their office building which is scheduled for completion in summer 2009.
Report on the Study days at the Baccarat "Pôle Bijou"
The Pôle Bijou hosted its first study days last 14th and 15th December, as a finale to its "A la découverte des écoles du bijou" exhibition. Twenty-odd speakers and over 100 participants discussed topics revolving around "finding courses and help with getting started". These 2 days were rich with encounters and knowledge-sharing, in a European atmosphere with attendees from Belgium, England and France. These lectures and debates are now available on line. We hope that showing these will encourage question-asking in the future.
Click here to download them: http://www.polebijou.com/pages/expos/colloque.html
Seminar on ceramics training
Last 23rd October, professional training organisations in the ceramics sector got together on the initiative of Ateliers d’Art de France and the "Association Française des Cités de la Céramique", in partnership with the "Collectif National des Céramistes" and the "Musée National de la Céramique de Sèvres". This initiative focuses on the quality of training for ceramists, revolving around determining factors such as the reassertion of the ceramist profession, the importance of handing down knowledge and the sector's needs and evolution. This productive day gave rise to much discussion and marked the starting point of a long-term research project involving five study groups engaged in the following topics: initial training, professional training, artistic training, on-going training for professionals and the European dimension in training. The resulting reports will be brought to the public in Spring 2008 in the form of proposals for change addressed to the relevant institutions.
Publication of the list of official "Arts and Crafts" vocational training certificates
The 29th June 2007 by-law has defined the list of vocational "Arts and Crafts" training certificates. This long-awaited measure underpins the notion that training in the Arts and Crafts sector is set apart from other disciplines. Vocational training certificates for Arts and Crafts professions now come under the same name, with sub-categories according to activity, as is the case for the Vocational Artisan and Arts and Crafts Baccalauréat, the Brevets des métiers d’art (BMA - Arts and Crafts Certificates) and the Diplômes des métiers d’art (DMA - Arts and Crafts Diplomas).These diplomas entitle their holders to the "artisan d'art" title, upon request to the president of the relevant chamber of trade and crafts.
Source: by-law of 29th June 2007, Journal officiel, 9th August 2007 - www.legifrance.gouv.fr
