The Creative Residency took place successfully between 20-27 June 2021 in the historic centre of Gjirokastra, Albania. It combined both site visits and meetings with the local artists and craftspeople, and time for prototyping and working directly with their artworks and productions.

The participants lived for seven days in the historic centre of Gjirokastra, directly in contact with the heritage context, locals and artisans. Through a series of fieldworks, local-led tours and meetings with the community organised by Gjirokastra Foundation and with the involvement of different actors, the participants from Albania, Spain, Romania and Italy had the opportunity to co-create artistic projects and project ideas, designs, artworks etc. Study visits were conducted in the castle, museum, cold war tunnel, historic houses etc. Local artisans also collaborated in the project, such as a wood carver and artisan women.