Surakarta

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2023

City presentation

Surakarta, a city rich in cultural assets and a vibrant creative economy, boasts 387 ateliers and 1,081 artists across various artistic disciplines, including music, dance, theater, painting, and sculpture. The city’s commitment to nurturing talent is evident through established training spaces for crafts and folk arts. Since 1910, Surakarta has organized folk art performances, notably the Wayang Orang Opera, at the Sriwedari Wayang Orang Building, making it a hub for folk art. Neighborhood pavilions facilitate regular training and performances, while larger venues host grand productions like the Ramayana Dance Drama.

Renowned for its traditional batik textile production, Surakarta is home to 192 batik workshops and two significant batik villages. The government supports this creative sector by providing instruments for local music activities. Rooted in the history of the Mataram kingdom, Surakarta maintains strong ties to Javanese culture, thriving in performing arts, crafts, culinary, and fashion, despite pandemic challenges. Between 2020 and 2022, the city hosted 84 creative economy events and plans at least 48 for 2023.

Contacts

Contacts

Tambasasayama

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2015

City presentation

Located in Japan’s Hyōgo region, Tambasasayama is renowned for its rich diversity of over 4,700 crafts and folk art expressions, most notably tanba-yaki pottery. This ancient craft, passed down for over eight centuries, is one of Japan’s “Six Old Kilns” and remains a source of local pride. The Tanba-yaki Pottery Festival, held annually at the Museum of Ceramic Art, attracts over 140,000 visitors worldwide, showcasing the best of this pottery. Tambasasayama also hosts the Dekancho Festival, celebrating the traditional bon-odori folk dance.

To support its crafts sector, the city has implemented various training programs and cooperative associations, promoting sustainable urban development. As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, Tambasasayama aims to pass on tanba-yaki skills to future artisans, establish a school for innovation, foster artistic exchanges, and strengthen ties with other Creative Cities to explore connections between crafts and gastronomy.

Contacts

Tétouan

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017

City presentation

With a population of 400,000, Tétouan is Morocco’s second-largest economic hub in the Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima region. The city’s craft traditions date back to its 15th-century founding, and its urban planning reflects its craftsmanship, with specialized craft neighborhoods for Zellige, Taajira embroidery, and wood and ironwork. Drawing from its Arab-Andalusian heritage, Tétouan’s arts and crafts are known for their masterful craftsmanship, supported by nearly 6,000 craft units and 150 young artisans entering the market annually.

Crafts in Tétouan play a significant role in community-building and contribute to the local economy. Events like the Rencontres des Artisans and the Marché au fil du temps, held alongside the Women’s Voices International Music Festival, showcase local artisans, particularly women. Tétouan’s Urban Development Programme and Regional Development Plan have upgraded community spaces, modernized craft infrastructure, and supported the federation of craft guilds to promote networking and training opportunities.

Contacts

Trinidad

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2019

City presentation

Trinidad, located on the southern coast of Santi Spíritus, Cuba, boasts a rich history of craftsmanship, especially in fiber fabrics, which continues to be a vital source of income for its residents, generating nearly US$500,000 annually. Local craft traditions are passed down through generations and preserved within homes. The city organizes numerous exhibitions, fairs, and seasonal markets, offering artisans platforms to display their work, such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day events. Permanent exhibitions, like those by artists Magalis Ramírez and Lucía Jiménez, also invite public interaction and offer summer courses.

Trinidad’s handicrafts sector aligns with Goal 8 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on gender equality by promoting female artisans. Craft schools and workshops, as well as the School of Trades of Restoration, teach traditional techniques and introduce new technologies, while helping marginalized youth enhance their skills and integrate into the city’s social fabric.

Contacts

Tunis

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017

City presentation

Tunis, the capital of Tunisia since the 13th century, is home to 638,850 inhabitants and boasts a rich cultural and historical legacy. Positioned strategically in the Mediterranean and at the crossroads of trans-Saharan trade routes, it has long been a trade and cultural hub. The Medina of Tunis, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, is a living symbol of 18th-century urban planning and a center for craft creation, with about forty souks showcasing artisans’ work.

Key cultural events in Tunis include the Salon de l’Artisanat, Tunisia’s most popular crafts fair, attracting 140,000 visitors in 2017, and the Medina Festival, launched in 1982, celebrating the city’s heritage. Since 2000, the Municipality and the Association for the Protection of the Tunis Medina (ASM) have spearheaded efforts to rehabilitate slum areas, restore historic buildings, and revitalize the city’s traditional urban landscape, involving both residents and artisans in the process to promote and preserve craft professions.

Contacts

Umngeni Howick

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2023

City presentation

Umngeni Howick, located along the Midlands Meander tourist route in South Africa, is home to over 170 craftspeople working in diverse fields such as ceramics and sculpture. The city and the nation actively support its artisans through initiatives like the Zulu Mphopomeni Tourism Enterprise programme, which is community-led and aims to ensure the economic sustainability of craftspeople while revitalizing Zulu culture. In collaboration with the Midlands Meander association, Umngeni Howick and the nation have trained 50 craftspeople and are planning to launch an online platform to help artisans sell their products.

As a UNESCO Creative City, Umngeni Howick is focused on elevating local crafts through events like the planned Indaba craft festival, modeled after Cape Town’s Indaba design festival. This initiative aims to highlight local talent and foster intercultural dialogue by inviting craftspeople from other Creative Cities. Another planned festival will celebrate craftspeople preserving Zulu cultural heritage, aligning the city and the nation with UNESCO’s efforts to support indigenous communities.

Contacts

Viljandi

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2019

City presentation

Viljandi, a city of 17,400 inhabitants, boasts a rich cultural landscape, highlighted by the Tartu University Viljandi Culture Academy, which specializes in native crafts. The city is home to 2,780 registered enterprises, with 738 linked to creative fields, contributing significantly to the local economy and providing social benefits. Key industries include blacksmithing, ceramics, and Estonia’s only prototyping wool mill.

Viljandi celebrates its crafts heritage through the Estonian Traditional Music Centre, hosting the annual Viljandi Folk Music Festival, which attracts over 20,000 visitors. Since 2014, the city has also organized the Craft Camp Estonia, promoting traditional handicraft techniques and blending old and new methods. To support the creative sector, Viljandi provides financial stipends to local artists and craftspeople, enabling them to focus on their work and promote their creations while preserving national culture.

Contacts

Weifang

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2021

City presentation

Weifang, known as the birthplace of the kite and a hub of crafts and creativity, has a rich history dating back 2,400 years. By the 5th and 6th centuries, it emerged as a center for Buddha statue making, and since the 18th century, it has been recognized as a crafts capital in northern China. The city is famous for various art forms, including kites, Chinese New Year paintings, papercutting, peach pit carving, and silver inlaid painting. Embracing both tradition and innovation, Weifang has hosted 38 International Kite Festivals, fostering cultural and economic exchanges with over 110 countries.

With over 1,800 craft workshops employing around 100,000 people, including 40,000 women, the city’s cultural industries generated USD 3.56 billion in GDP in 2020. As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, Weifang aims to promote research in crafts, create jobs, nurture emerging cultural industries, and enhance international collaboration.

Contacts