The Seville city council has approved its inaugural public grant programme aimed at supporting entrepreneurship in the sacred art sector. Announced during a recent Local Government Board meeting, the initiative is funded with €100,000 and targets local artisan workshops with the dual purpose of modernising their digital presence and ensuring the generational transition of these crafts, which are often only preserved in Seville at an international level.
The grant programme consists of two funding lines. The first supports the modernisation of workshops through ten subsidised services, including corporate identity, website development, online shops, digital catalogues, search engine optimisation, and social media management. This line covers up to 100% of justified expenses, with a maximum grant of €5,000 and a minimum expenditure requirement of €1,500.
The second line provides up to €5,000 for hiring unemployed young people under the age of 30, with contracts lasting at least six months and on a full-time basis. Applicants who qualify for both lines can receive a total of up to €6,500.
Micro-enterprises and self-employed individuals active in Seville and registered in the Andalusian Crafts Registry in one of the 21 included trades—such as goldsmithing, embroidery, imagery, carving, candle-making, trimmings, or restoration—are eligible to apply. Eligible expenses for digitalisation must have been incurred since 1 July 2026, and contracts must be formalised from 1 January onwards. Workshops that have already invested or hired this year can also apply.
“Sacred art has over six centuries of history in Seville and is also an economic activity that provides employment in the city. Its workshops face two specific challenges: attracting young people willing to learn the trade and ensuring their work reaches customers who now shop online. This initiative addresses both challenges simultaneously,” said municipal spokesperson Juan Bueno.
This grant programme has been developed in collaboration with the Seville Guild Association of Sacred Art. “This is the first time the city council has launched such a grant, and we have designed it with input from those who work daily in the workshops, as they know best what they need to thrive. Seville possesses an artisan heritage that cannot be replicated by other international capitals, so we must ensure it continues to generate activity and skilled employment for the youth of this city,” added the spokesperson.
Applications will be evaluated competitively, with the approved guidelines stating that 75% of the grant will be paid in advance upon the resolution of the concession, and the remaining 25% will be disbursed after justification of expenses. The application period will last for 15 working days following the publication of the summary in the Official Bulletin of the Province, via the municipal electronic headquarters. The initial funding may be increased if circumstances warrant.
Project “La Casa de la Esperanza”
The Local Government Board has also approved the declaration of general, public, and social interest for the project “La Casa de la Esperanza,” promoted by the Macarena Brotherhood. This initiative aims to establish a social, cultural, educational, and assistance centre in a municipal building located on Calle Perafán de Rivera, primarily targeting individuals in vulnerable situations. This declaration serves as an administrative first step towards the granting of the property for this purpose.
