Gymnasium of Crafts

The Ginásio de Ofícios is the open studio at FICA Oficina Criativa in Lisbon, where you can continue to practice ceramics or screen printing, work on your own projects, and deepen your understanding of the techniques you already know. It operates on a self-service model for the use of the space and equipment, with guidance available for specific technical questions.

Yes. The Craft Studio was designed specifically for those who want to continue working with ceramics after learning the technique—whether to practice, develop their own projects, or gain more independence. It’s an alternative to attending new workshops every time you want to work on your pieces.

Yes. The Craft Workshop is intended for people who already have a basic understanding of the technique they wish to practice and some independence in using the space and equipment. If you don’t have any experience yet, we recommend that you start with a FICA workshop.

Fill out the form above or send us an email at ginasio@fica-oc.pt

Yes, anyone of legal age (18+) who is responsible for the workshop (all users sign a liability form).

Of course, if you've already taken a workshop with us. However, if you don't have the basic knowledge, we recommend that you start with something more structured, such as our training courses. here. After training, you can then attend the trades gym.

A technician will be present, available for project advice and any assistance you may need. It's not intended to be structured like a training session, so you'll need to have a basic understanding of the technique. He won't be doing the work for you and he won't be dedicated to 100% (there can be up to 12 people in the session), but he will be prepared to assist you with your projects.

FICA is based on trust in others. However, if, on first contact, we feel that it would be better for you to invest in training to ensure the success of your project, we will recommend it. 

Not necessarily. The most important thing is that you have enough knowledge and experience to work independently in your chosen medium. If you’ve already studied ceramics or screen printing elsewhere, you can contact us to find out if the Ginásio is a good fit for your level of experience.

No. The Craft Workshop operates as an open studio, not as a training program. You work on your own projects at your own pace. During the sessions, you can ask a FICA staff member for help with any questions or specific issues, but there is no ongoing individual guidance.

Yes. You can use the studio to practice pottery, continue working with clay, or create your own pieces and projects, as long as you have the necessary knowledge to work independently.

The Gymnasium of Crafts is not intended to be a co-working space. It works in hot-desking mode, i.e. in the workshop the workspaces and tools are shared. At the end of each session, all the tables must be free and clear, ready to receive residents from the next session. No one has access to a private workspace or table where they can leave objects and pieces. However, all members are entitled to a storage shelf.

The idea of assigning an extended period to the number of hours in each plan is precisely to give you the opportunity to manage your arrival within the period you have chosen. For the sake of the sustainability of our business, unused hours from your plan cannot be carried over to the next plan.

Any of the techniques you can work on in the workshop, because they are mostly manual, require a series of processes that make it difficult to carry them out in less time.

You can attend the craft gym just for a single session, without any commitment. Exclusive for screen printing and tile painting.

You don't need to make an appointment once you've signed up for a time plan. In our experience, the equipment we have is perfectly adequate for the number of people who use the space - comings and goings happen naturally, and everyone ends up using the workshop at different times.

No. We are a multi-skilled workshop, so there will probably always be some noise, but we avoid it continuously and ask all residents to be quiet when using the Gymnasium.

No. Membership of the Gymnasium of Crafts does not guarantee access to training.

Ceramics include free use of glazes, engobes and paints in all monthly plans. Firing is included according to the number of hours in your package (only for pieces built here, everything else will be charged separately according to the firing plan).
All the tools are available for use in the Gym.
We have some low and high temperature ceramic pastes available for purchase in our store. Make sure you have storage space for your paste so you can leave it here.

Hourly rates and single sessions only include space for tiles - maximum of 8 tiles.

The use of ceramic pastes bought outside of FICA requires consulting the technical data sheet to ensure compatibility with the other materials. Samples of the ceramic pastes with and without glaze, at different temperatures, as well as samples of the colors of the engobes, are available in the workshop.

When you bring in ceramic paste from outside, you will have to sign a disclaimer and bear the cost of any damage it may cause to the muffle.

Each resident is entitled to a shelf for parts in process and storage space (25x35x25cm) for general storage. The storage area is in a shared space, so don't keep valuable items.

FICA cannot be held responsible for the disappearance of any object.

Occasional use of the studio for glazing and decorating your pieces is available only to students enrolled in our ceramics workshops.

Yes, we have 4 potter's wheels that can be used. Use of the potter's wheel must be booked 7 days in advance.

The inks to be used must be purchased or used from FICA. We have our own screen printing inks for both paper and fabric. You will only be allowed to use other types of inks when working on your own canvases.

In Screen Printing (monthly plans and single sessions), printing bases, squeegees, spatulas, test paper, glue tape, spray glue, as well as one screen opening (emulsion+exposure+recovery) per session are available free of charge for use in the Gym. Screens (rental or purchase), inks, fine paper and photolithographs are available for purchase in our store.