Escola de Artes e Ofícios Thomaz Pompeu Sobrinho

The Escola de Artes e Ofícios Thomaz Pompeu Sobrinho is an educational institution housed in a three-story palace with over 30 rooms in downtown Fortaleza. The building, surrounded by gardens, now serves as a center for teaching craftsmanship and artistic skills to young people.

The palace dates to 1929 and was built in Italian art-nouveau style. The school was founded in 2002 and has since used this architecturally significant building to provide free training in various disciplines.

The school bears the name of a prominent local intellectual and teaches traditional craft techniques rooted in the region. Visitors see students combining historical methods like woodcut printing with embroidery, continuing local artistic traditions through hands-on work.

The center offers free courses in restoration, conservation, woodblock printing, and traditional crafts for public school students and socially disadvantaged youth. Training programs focus on hands-on learning and serve those seeking access to professional skills.

A special project called Heritage for All brought together more than 100 young people from poorer neighborhoods to create inventories and have a voice in how the place is run. This participatory model gained national recognition and shows how education and communities can be linked.

Location: Fortaleza

Address: Avenida Francisco Sá, 1801

GPS coordinates: -3.72257,-38.54192

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:00