1st prize in the “Elles M l’Artisanat” competition, “businesses over 3 years old” category
Elles M l’Artisanat 2025: A Competition to Promote Female Entrepreneurship in Dordogne
The 1st prize “Elles M l’Artisanat” category “company over 3 years” is awarded to Amandine BONNEAU, feather artist, for her expertise and investment in the territory of Dordogne as a business owner.
A Competition to Promote Female Entrepreneurship in Dordogne
Dordogne launches the tenth edition of the “Elles M l’Artisanat” competition, an ambitious initiative aimed at highlighting the talent and determination of women in the department’s artisanal sector.
A Reality that Mobilizes Local Stakeholders
With only 25% of women at the head of artisanal businesses in Dordogne, female under-representation in this sector constitutes a real territorial challenge. To address this issue, several institutions are uniting around this unifying project.
The Chamber of Trades and Crafts Nouvelle-Aquitaine Dordogne leads this initiative with support from leading partners: Crédit Agricole Charente Périgord, the departmental delegation for Women’s Rights and Equality, Famosa magazine, and the departmental council. This alliance demonstrates the collective desire to support female entrepreneurship in crafts.
Four Categories to Celebrate All Journeys
The competition is structured around four distinct categories, allowing recognition of the diversity of female profiles in crafts:
The Apprentice: This category honors young women in training, future ambassadors of tomorrow’s craftsmanship.
The Young Business: Intended for entrepreneurs who created their structure between 1 and 3 years ago, it values the audacity and innovation of new paths. It is in this category that Amandine and her feather artistry business are featured.
The Business Owner: This distinction rewards established female leaders who have successfully developed and sustained their artisanal activity.
The Strategic Woman: An original category that highlights employees, spouses, or partners whose involvement is crucial to the success of the artisanal business.
Precise Registration Criteria to Guarantee Equity
The organization has defined clear conditions for participating in the competition. Candidates must practice their activity in Dordogne and have an APE code corresponding to an artisanal activity. For apprentices, the school or host company must be established in the department.
A minimum seniority of one year of activity is required for all categories, except for apprentices. This requirement guarantees a certain stability and allows evaluation of candidates’ initial achievements.
A Two-Stage Selection Process
The competition follows a precise schedule. Candidates will present themselves before a jury on Monday, April 28, 2025, with the possibility of participating in person or by videoconference to accommodate everyone’s constraints.
The award ceremony evening, the highlight of the event, will take place on Thursday, May 22, 2025. This ceremony will provide an opportunity to celebrate female excellence in Périgord craftsmanship and give well-deserved visibility to these entrepreneurs.
An Opportunity for Sharing and Recognition
Beyond the competition dimension, this initiative represents a tremendous opportunity for participants to share their experience, passion, and vision of craftsmanship. It also creates a network of female entrepreneurs and promotes careers sometimes unknown to the general public.
This tenth edition demonstrates the sustainability of an event that has become essential for female craftsmanship in Dordogne. It is part of a broader approach to promoting professional equality and recognizing female expertise in arts and crafts trades.
Female artisans in Dordogne now have until spring 2025 to prepare their candidacy and join this beautiful adventure that celebrates excellence, innovation, and passion in the feminine.