Isfahan

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2015

City presentation

Isfahan, Iran’s third largest city with 1.5 million inhabitants, is a hub for crafts and folk art, featuring 9,000 workshops across 167 disciplines, including carpet weaving, metalwork, and ceramics. The historic Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serves as the main venue for showcasing high-quality crafts. Events like the International Cultural Heritage Festival highlight local and international artistry, with a special focus on female artisans.

Isfahan’s Municipality actively promotes social cohesion and the preservation of traditional knowledge through training workshops and financial support, particularly via Handicrafts Cooperative Societies. As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, Isfahan aims to enhance the capacities of artists, promote gender equality, and foster international cooperation, ensuring the growth and visibility of its rich craft heritage.

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João Pessoa

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017

City presentation

João Pessoa is the capital of Paraíba, in the northeast of Brazil. The third oldest city in the country, founded in 1585, it is also known as the “Gateway to the Sun” because it is located on the easternmost point of the Americas. A UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017, it has been implementing various initiatives aimed at incorporating the concepts of creativity and innovation, as well as the transversality of segments, fostering the local economy and meeting the commitments made when the municipality joined the UCCN.

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Kanazawa

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2009

City presentation

Kanazawa, influenced by the samurai lifestyle, is renowned for its artisan workshops and is recognized as a City of Crafts and Folk Arts. The city’s crafts reflect a unique blend of techniques introduced by skilled artisans from Kyoto and Edo, combining dynamism with the elegance of samurai culture. Traditional craftwork, such as kaga-yuzen silk dyeing for kimonos and gold leaf lacquer ware, continues to enrich daily life. Local artisans are now exploring collaborations with other creative fields, merging traditional crafts with innovation and new technologies.
The Kanazawa Citizens’ Art Center, operational 24/7, provides free spaces for artistic activities, while the 21st Century Museum for Contemporary Art, inaugurated in 2004, attracts over 1.5 million visitors annually, showcasing modern art and craft collections.

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Kargopol

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2019

City presentation

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Montecristi

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2023

City presentation

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Nakuru

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2021

City presentation

Nakuru, located in the Rift Valley region of Kenya, is a city rich in cultural heritage, boasting a diverse array of cultural assets that foster creativity. The crafts and folk art sector features innovative artists working in sculpture, visual arts, beadwork, fabric design, metalwork, pottery, and storytelling, forming the backbone of Nakuru’s creative economy.

This economy encompasses thirteen creative sub-sectors that utilize culture as a strategic tool for economic growth. Recognizing the significance of creativity in development, Nakuru has launched hands-on programs to train professionals and build networks within the creative industries. Events like the Nakuru International Investment Conference and Nakuru Business Expo provide platforms for artists to showcase their work and attract investments. Moving forward, Nakuru plans to develop creative spaces such as cultural centers and art galleries, as well as establish a community festival to celebrate local heritage and promote inclusivity.

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Ouagadougou

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017

City presentation

Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, is a political, administrative, and cultural hub with a population of 2 million, housing over 80% of the central region’s inhabitants. The city has a rich tradition of bronze-working, particularly in the Niongsin neighborhood, where it originated through the expertise of three major families specializing in lost wax casting. This craft has evolved to become a primary source of income for many families and significantly impacts the local economy, employing 13% of informal sector workers across 375 businesses. Various training centers, such as the National Centre for Arts and Crafts and the Craft Village, ensure the transmission of this artisanal knowledge.
The city also hosts two major cultural events, the Ouagadougou International Craft Fair and the Pan-African Cinema and Television Festival. The municipal government actively supports local cultural industries by improving working conditions and promoting the bronze craft through initiatives like the Bronze Display.

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Pasto

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2021

City presentation

Pasto, located in southern Colombia, is rich in cultural assets that reflect its diverse ethnic and religious traditions. Known for its vibrant crafts and folk art, the city’s economy thrives on small industries and artisanal production, including wood carving, embossed leather, and fabrics. Pasto is Colombia’s largest handicraft production hub, accounting for 14.34% of the national market, making the artisanal sector crucial for regional development. The Carnival of Blacks and Whites is the city’s most significant cultural event, contributing 0.7% to local GDP and creating over 8,000 jobs between 2011 and 2016.

As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, Pasto plans to strengthen creative industries to generate employment, promote cultural identity, and foster social inclusion. The city will also support cross-sector alliances, encourage cultural exchanges, and promote research on cultural heritage creation and distribution.

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Pekalongan

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2014

City presentation

Pekalongan, known as the “Batik City,” is a multicultural city of 300,000 people where hand-drawn and hand-stamped batik is central to its economy and identity. Batik culture is deeply integrated into the city’s educational and creative economy development plans. The Batik Museum and nearby workshops form a key arts center, recognized for safeguarding this intangible heritage.

Pekalongan’s focus is on preserving and advancing Batik culture, which supports income generation, especially for women, improving their quality of life. The city also aims to strengthen social, cultural, and economic infrastructures, foster innovation, and promote Batik locally and globally while encouraging environmentally friendly practices.

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Perth

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2021

City presentation

Perth, a vibrant city in central Scotland with a population of nearly 160,000, thrives on industries such as farming, tourism, and low-carbon energy. The city boasts a rich cultural scene with two major theatres and international-standard museums, many highlighting local craft production. Perth College supports the creative sector with 650 students in culture-related fields. The city’s creative industry has grown, employing over 3,000 people with an annual GVA of USD 55,517 per job. Perth is also part of the Tay Cities Deal, which aims to invest in culture and innovation.
Key upcoming projects include the Perth City Hall Museum, focusing on crafts and folk art. The city plans to enhance its cultural footprint by fostering international collaborations, creating accessible spaces for artisans, engaging the public through workshops, and promoting sustainable tourism through a crafts and folk art trail.

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Sharjah

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2019

City presentation

Harjah, one of the seven emirates of the UAE, spans 235 square kilometers along the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean. The city celebrates its cultural heritage through traditional crafts like ‘Talli’ weaving, which plays a vital role in supporting female artisans. Though niche, this craft sector is growing and contributes to Sharjah’s cultural identity.

Sharjah actively promotes its heritage through festivals like Sharjah Heritage Days and workshops organized by the Sharjah Art Foundation, which preserve and transfer traditional skills to future generations. The Bidwa initiative further supports this sector, providing vocational training to over 60 artisans, empowering women, and opening new market opportunities.

With Emiri Decree No. 5 of 2017, Sharjah ensures long-term preservation of its cultural heritage in line with international standards. As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, Sharjah plans to foster collaborations with UNESCO cities, create exhibition spaces, offer vocational training, and establish an awards scheme to recognize artisans’ contributions.

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Sokodé

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017

City presentation

Sokodé, Togo’s second-largest city with 95,070 residents, is celebrated for its weaving tradition, crucial for producing daily clothing and ceremonial garments like embroidered boubous for Tem knights. Weaving represents over 35% of the city’s craft sector, significantly boosting the local economy. Major events, such as the Togo Sokodé International Fair and Gadao-Adossa Festival, promote the arts, while the Inter-Professional Grouping of Craftsmen and Women of Togo (GIPATO) trains new weavers in traditional techniques.

The 2015-2019 Communal Development Plan prioritizes culture for sustainable urban growth, focusing on local tourism, workshops for artisans, and plans for a communal museum. As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, Sokodé aims to implement the SOS Crafts Project to engage youth and marginalized women, establish a crafts and folk art farm, and foster collaboration among artisans to tackle challenges and enhance their skills.

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