Castelo Branco

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2023

City presentation

At the heart of Castelo Branco lies the renowned art of Castelo Branco Embroidery, which shapes the city’s unique cultural identity. This embroidery is not only celebrated for its beauty but also for its economic significance, adorning sidewalks and buildings as a symbol of the city’s rich heritage. Local artisans dedicated to preserving this craft continue to produce intricate embroidery, ensuring its relevance in the creative world.

Castelo Branco has also engaged in international collaborations with cities across various continents, enhancing its cultural influence. To combat demographic decline, the municipality focuses on improving quality of life, making Castelo Branco one of the most attractive cities in Portugal for foreign residents and investments. The crafts industry is crucial to the city’s development, exemplified by the “Embroidery and Hosting” brand, which protects local artisans and promotes events like the Castelo Branco Fashion contest, further advancing this cherished tradition.

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Chiang Mai

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017

City presentation

Located in Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai, the “Rose of the North,” was established in 1296 as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom. The city’s craftspeople were essential in developing its reputation as a trade center, contributing to the crafts industry from nearby villages, with 159 established enterprises providing significant employment. Chiang Mai’s craft practices, including pottery, silverwork, wood carving, silk embroidery, and lacquerware, are passed down through programs in public schools, like the ‘Museum to School’ initiative, which raises awareness of local crafts and folk arts.

The Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organisation is committed to protecting this heritage by enhancing educational institutions and launching the ‘One Sub-District, One Product’ initiative to support local crafts in global markets, benefiting small-scale producers, including those from vulnerable communities, through capacity-building workshops.

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Chardeleg

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017

City presentation

Chordeleg, a small city in southern Ecuador, is renowned for its precious metal work, pottery, footwear manufacturing, and toquilla straw weaving. These four sectors employ 66% of the active population, with 58% being women artisans. Craft knowledge is traditionally passed down through families and communities via oral tradition, and the city supports sustainability by helping artisans establish cooperatives and facilitating knowledge transfer.

The annual Candonga Festival, initiated in 2011, promotes Chordeleg’s crafts and encourages collaboration among artisans. The city partners with the Inter-American Centre for Crafts and Popular Arts (CIDAP) to safeguard traditional craft methods and improve working conditions. Additionally, the Municipality is implementing a National Plan to protect traditional toquilla weaving, focusing on revitalizing the craft sector through promotion and communication, while a broader Development and Territorial Planning strategy has already led to the creation of 12 new businesses.

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Como

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2021

City presentation

Como, at the heart of Italy’s Textile Valley, is renowned for its textile industry, particularly silk craft and sericulture. The city is dedicated to preserving its rich traditions while promoting innovation through strong support from training centers and the creativity of its artisans and textile manufacturers.

Como’s textile sector is backed by renowned institutions such as the Setificio school, Italy’s oldest textile school, the University of Insubria, which emphasizes research and sustainability, and the Silk Museum, which preserves traditional production methods. The “Ratti” Foundation also plays a key role with its textile archive. Today, Como produces around 70% of Europe’s silk and is home to 1,400 silk companies, employing over 15,000 people. This thriving industry supports both the cultural heritage and the social fabric of the city.

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Durán

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2015

City presentation

Durán, known as the “Railway Town of Ecuador,” preserves its cultural heritage through the exchange of practices shaped by its historical role as the country’s first railroad hub. The city views culture and creativity as essential for collective memory, urban well-being, and social cohesion, especially through urban art.

Since 2007, the Festival Memories of the Railroad has honored former railway workers, inspiring projects like History on Frontages, where local artists paint murals depicting the city’s history. Another initiative, Youth for Human Rights, involves over 150 young artists, emphasizing civic awareness through art. Durán’s Cultural Nights project, supported by the municipality, promotes local art, while the Luis Sánchez Borja Convention Centre contributes to transforming this industrial city into a hub for creativity and cultural exchange.

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Gabrovo

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2017

City presentation

Gabrovo, in central northern Bulgaria, was a major craft center in the 19th century, known for woodcarving and wool weaving. Today, it remains a vibrant hub for crafts, with 33 craft enterprises and 111 independent artisans. The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum (ETAR), established in the 1960s, showcases the region’s rich craft traditions.

Gabrovo hosts the annual International Crafts Fair, the largest of its kind in the region, featuring artisans from around the world. The event includes a master competition and scientific conferences on global craft trends. Gabrovo’s lively carnival also highlights local humor, traditional songs, and folk culture. The city aims to attract young artists through its Culture Development Strategy, promoting crafts as a driver of sustainable development.

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Gimhae

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2021

City presentation

Gimhae, renowned for its Gaya pottery and Buncheong ware from the Joseon Dynasty, is modernizing its crafts sector into a thriving creative industry. Home to 240 craft companies, the city’s Workshop Village serves as a key creative hub for production, education, and trade. Gimhae’s ceramics industry is supported by institutions like the Clayarch Gimhae Museum, the world’s first architectural ceramics museum, and the Gimhae Buncheong Ceramics Museum, dedicated to preserving and evolving Buncheong ware.

Gimhae aims to innovate its ceramics tradition, integrate citizen participation in its creative city development, and align with Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in education, gender equality, and sustainable urban development.

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Hangzhou

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2012

City presentation

With a 5,000-year history, Hangzhou, one of China’s ancient capitals, has transformed by focusing on cultural and creative industries. Its rich history supports renowned crafts such as silk and tea production, as well as porcelain and bronze sculptures. As a historic center for Chinese silk, Hangzhou has preserved this craft heritage. Known as China’s “Tea Capital,” the city is famous for West Lake Longjing Green Tea. Additionally, the stone carvings by the Xiling Seal Engraver’s Society highlight Hangzhou’s enduring crafts tradition. Recognized as a “National Cultural and Creative Centre,” Hangzhou’s creative industries employ over 336,000 people and play a key role in the city’s economic and cultural development.

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Hoi An

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2023

City presentation

Hội An, located in Central Vietnam, is a beautiful city with an ancient town recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1999; Chàm Islands – Hội An was recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2009; and the art of Bài Chòi in Central Vietnam, effectively practiced in Hội An, was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. In 2023, Hội An joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of Crafts and Folk Art.

Hội An’s intrinsic strength is the resonance of work, creativity, indigenous cultural values and the absorption of the quintessence from countries that have come to trade over the long periods. From experts, artists, intellectuals to workers, farmers, etc.; from indigenous communities to individuals from other places; they have all brought together the essence of labor, innovation and the determination to create a source of creativity for this land.

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Icheon

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2010

City presentation

Since becoming a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art, Icheon has established itself as a leader in the Korean crafts industry, particularly in ceramics. With a tradition spanning over 1,000 years, Icheon is pivotal in both modern and traditional ceramics. The city boasts essential infrastructure, including industrial enterprises and educational institutions, making it the only crafts-specialized zone in Korea.

The ceramic belt around Icheon produces 55% of the nation’s ceramics, featuring 320 studios, making it the largest center for crafts in Korea. Events like the Icheon Ceramic Festival and the International Sculpture Symposium promote cultural exchange and creativity. Icheon is committed to preserving its cultural heritage while sharing its values with other cities globally.

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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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Jacmel

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2014

City presentation

Jacmel, known for its rich heritage and vibrant carnival, takes pride in its history as a hospitable trading port. Following the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010, the city has focused on preserving its invaluable tangible and intangible heritage.
Jacmel promotes culture, traditions, art, and crafts, with the Carnival of Jacmel serving as a key driver of creative development through its deep-rooted local traditions in painting, sculpture, and papier-mâché. This event attracts thousands of visitors each year and emphasizes the importance of revitalizing Haiti’s cultural heritage. The “Destination Jacmel” initiative aims to restore and protect the historic center to enhance cultural tourism and preserve traditions for future generations. With artistic figures like painter Préfètte Duffaut and writer René Depestre, Jacmel embodies the motto “Jacmel, Sursum corda!”—a call to rise and celebrate its creative spirit.

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Jaipur

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2015

City presentation

Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan in India, has a population of 3 million and a rich history as a trade center known as the House of the 36 Industries (Chattis Karkhanas) in the early 18th century. This historical identity is preserved through dedicated streets and markets for crafts like painting, carving, and jewelry, which employ about 175,000 people across 53,500 workshops. The city views creative industries as vital for sustaining its cultural heritage, actively promoting local traditions through festivals such as the Jaipur International Heritage Festival, which highlights both traditional and contemporary crafts. Initiatives like Heritage Walks aim to revitalize ancient streets, improve artisans’ working conditions, and support direct selling. Jaipur also plans to establish a Global Art Square and promote international showcasing through a museum and gallery at the airport, fostering knowledge exchange with other Creative Cities.

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Jingdezhen

City of Crafts and Folk Art since 2014

City presentation

Jingdezhen, often referred to as the “Porcelain Capital,” boasts a legacy of porcelain production that dates back over 1,700 years, making it China’s foremost ceramic production center. Renowned for high-quality porcelain, the city has historically facilitated cultural and commercial exchanges along the Silk Road.

In recent years, Jingdezhen has leveraged its cultural assets to organize prominent events in ceramic arts, such as the World Summit of Mayors from Ceramic Cities and the Jingdezhen International Ceramic Fair, promoting cultural heritage and diversity. These initiatives emphasize capacity building and international collaboration, particularly with Africa and the Arab States, establishing Jingdezhen as a vibrant creative city. As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts, Jingdezhen aims to foster exchanges among member cities, promote industrial cooperation, share creative processes, and host forums focused on the protection of intangible heritage and crafts.

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