Open Call Festive Workshop “Tzoumerka Summer School”

Tzoumerka Summer School 2026

Festive workshop on traditional and sustainable building

Frasta, Tzoumerka, Epirus, Greece

15/06/2026 – 03/07/2026

The “Tzoumerka Summer School 2026” is a festive workshop that summarizes and seals the three main thematic units we have worked on in recent years at the Frasta School: stone, timber, and mortars. The workshop is designed to give both old and new participants the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of a wide range of traditional techniques, while also actively participating in the completion of the model restoration of the building and its surrounding area. With the completion of the works, the School of Research and Education for Traditional and Sustainable Building in Frasta, Tzoumerka, officially begins its operation as a permanent educational structure.

The Festive Workshop

The 3-week hands-on workshop (15/06/2026 – 03/07/2026) is aimed at forty (40) participants, who are students or professionals in the fields of construction, architecture, engineering sciences, archaeology, cultural management, and other related sectors interested in vernacular architecture and natural building. The workshop will combine theory, seminars, and practical work, lectures, community activities, and field visits, while supporting the work to complete the model restoration of the building and its surrounding area. It is possible to participate for the entire duration of the workshop or for one week/thematic unit.

It is divided into 3 thematic units (one per week):

• 15-19/06/2026 Stone

The first week* of the workshop, focusing on stone walling, will concentrate on transnational cooperation and cultural exchange with partners and important groups from Ireland (Dry Stone Wall Association of Ireland- DSWAI) and Croatia (4GRADA Dragodid). An experiential workshop will be implemented with emphasis on training in restoration work and the construction of new stone infrastructures.

*The week is part of the ECHOES project (Enhancing Cultural Heritage Skills Across Europe), a cooperation program within the framework of the “Creative Europe” program, for the preservation, promotion, and enhancement of European cultural diversity and architectural heritage

• 22-26/06/2026 Timber

The second week of the workshop, focusing on wooden constructions, will concentrate on the completion of interior carpentry work, the staircase, and the wooden lofts. The construction and finishing of railings and supplementary wooden elements will be carried out where required. In parallel, a small partition wall (tsatmas a traditional technique) will be constructed in the teacher’s residence/kitchen area, with an emphasis on the application of traditional techniques.

• 29/06-03/07/2026 Mortars

The third week of the workshop, focusing on mortars, will complete the application of lime and clay plasters for the formation of the interior space of the School. Pointing will be carried out on the exterior masonry, and plastering work on the interior. The exterior pointing will be restored with traditional lime mortar, mixed with straw and local and/or recycled aggregates.

Craftspeople, Instructors, and Participants

The festive workshop will be guided by craftspeople with local knowledge, and specialized artisans and instructors from Ireland, Croatia, and the Boulouki team. This year, for the first time, artisans who have apprenticed in previous workshops will participate as instructors.

In total, 40 people will be trained in traditional building techniques and real-scale applications. Special emphasis will be given to the correct and safe management of the construction site and the overall reduction of construction waste and the environmental footprint of the construction process itself. In parallel with the practical part, everyone will have the opportunity to receive theoretical training through special lectures and seminars.

Finally, throughout the workshop, research/field exercises and actions with the local community and entities will take place, in an effort to delve deeper into issues related to environmental and geological challenges, the protection of the natural and architectural heritage of the area, in light of recent flood events and the new needs they have shaped.

Important Information and Dates

Total Available Positions: 40

• 10 positions for participants attending the entire program (3 weeks)
• 10 positions for participants attending one week (1st/2nd/3rd)

Location: Frasta, Tzoumerka, Epirus, Greece

Workshop dates: 15 June – 03 July 2026

Participants may also come from abroad.

Application deadline: 19 April 2026

Notification of acceptance: by 7 May 2026

Apply Here

Participation Cost (accommodation included):

• 1 week: €170

€100 participation fee and €70 camping accommodation for 7 nights

• Entire program (3 weeks): €510

€300 participation fee and €210 camping accommodation for 21 nights

Reduced participation cost for:

• Undergraduate students, people with disabilities (PWD), & unemployed:

€150 per week or €450 for 3 weeks (participation fee and camping accommodation)

• Permanent residents of the Municipalities of Central and North Tzoumerka:

€80 per week or €240 for 3 weeks (accommodation not included)

Included: The cost covers participation in the workshop, provision of materials, protective equipment and tools, provision of one snack during field work, transportation within the framework of the workshop’s activities, civil liability insurance, and camping accommodation for 21 days (or 7 for the one-week option).

Excluded: Travel expenses to and from Frasta, as well as all personal expenses, are covered solely by the participants

Co-organized by: Municipality of Central Tzoumerka, Municipality of North Tzoumerka, Technical Chamber of Greece – Epirus Department, Regional Union of Municipalities of Epirus, Enhancing Cultural Heritage Skills Across Europe a cooperation program within the framework of the “Creative Europe”.

Photographs by: Iason Athanasiadis, Ioanna Ntoutsi, Grigorios Koutropoulos, Antigoni Karnesioti, Ira Tomić