Jonathan Kennedy tells MUSBA HASHMI how the Crafting Futures programme is bringing the artisans from the UK and India together and helping them
What is the Crafting Futures programme about?
It is the British Council’s global programme that aims to build capacity, improve livelihood of craftspeople through economic opportunity — especially women. It is a three-year programme in India, with the objective of enabling Indian craftspeople to enhance their design skills, improve supply chain links and gain exposure for wider market development.
Indian organisations across textiles, jewellery, sustainable fashion, handicrafts, furniture, pottery, and more craft areas are encouraged to collaborate with UK counterparts and submit joint proposals. The programme aims to positively impact the future of design and craft in India over the long-term.
How did you come up with the idea of the programme?
Craft and design is an important part of India’s rich cultural heritage. Besides being a cultural indicator, the sector also offers huge economic opportunity to those working in the crafts sector. The global market for crafts is $400 billion, of which India’s share is under 2 per cent. Given this scenario, there is immense growth potential for the craft and design sector that employs reported 7 million artisans, of which 56 per cent are women (as per the Indian Handicrafts census). Therefore, we decided to come up with such a programme that can help artisans of the country.
How will the programme support women and their ventures?
Women artisans in India face challenges that prevents their growth in the sector. Due to lack of information about up to date production methods, minimal capital investment and lack of market linkages. They are often not able to take their work to a global level.
British Council aspires to address some of these challenges by enabling a public platform along with providing monetary and technical support. Linking with UK expertise to support connectionsto Indian craft organisations will open up greater knowledge-sharing and avenues for market development.
How will the programme bring artisans from India and UK together?
The main agenda of the programme is to bring crafts organisations from UK and India together to connect, create and collaborate to form new networks and opportunities for shared learning.
It also supports education, capacity building and economic empowerment of women and communities in craft.We aim to ensure projects are relevant; and the quality of creative practice and heritage is preserved and developed for modern audiences.
What are the new technologies in the sector?
During consultation and research towards the Crafting Futures programme in India, we saw nascent cutting-edge examples of low and hi-tech digital technology used by artisans. For instance, scanning of craft objects, producing creating 3-D models for sharing in pursuit of product buyers.
Expertise from crafts retail in India highlighted the need for greateronline connection between disparate artisans, designers, and buyers in the creation and production of contemporary new craft designs. Such examples of digital innovation offer tangible connections for collaboration and sustainable market developmentacross a range of crafts clusters.
The British Council’s goal is to amplify the value of crafts skills and crafts heritage in India to the wider worldthrough innovation in digital technology; and with othersoffer access to venture capitalist models of support.