Creative Industr. & Craft Develop.
The Creative Industries and Crafts Development Program is one of the GACC's main activities. Cultural Industries has been an integral part of the cultural history of Georgia; among the treasures left behind by ancient civilizations that are currently on displays and storages of the different museums of Georgia, and the traditions kept in of folk-art, reflect the brilliant craftsmanship and creativity of yesteryear; during the centuries this production has been a source not only of cultural pride but also of economic livelihood, exchange of ideas and creativity. Georgia’s heritage includes a legacy of finely made crafts that use rich and diverse techniques for weaving, ceramic making, wood-carving, jewelry, painting, engraving etc.
The GACC through the trainings, collaboration in product development, production and marketing, offers the practical assistance to foster artistic traditions, to raise cultural vitality, to improve economical viability of cultural institutions, crafts based enterprises and crafts community. , the GACC helps increase the economic viability of the Georgian crafts sector.
GACC cooperates with more than 600 individual artisans and crafts based businesses all over Georgia are represented, including professional craftsmen, crafts-based studios and workshops, small and medium enterprises, women, inmates, and orphans and disabled children.
The GACC has helps to facilitate International exhibitions of the Georgian cultural gifts as well as to develop the local market within Georgia. The GACC provides local marketing, competition and sales through the Christmas Gift Fairs and the GACC regularly participates in International Gift and Craft Fairs to increase sales of Georgian goods and acts as an exporter of Georgian crafts products to international crafts markets.________________________________________
Publications and Events
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Tbilisi International Summit of Crafts and Design "EthnoFest". The event is organized on biennale principles every even year at the end of September-beginning of October. The summit was founded in 2016 in the frames of project Crafts Platform in Action. Enhancing Sector's Economic Capacity for Georgia, funded by the European Union "Investing in People" project.
2015 - The manual "How to transform Heritage Crafts into Profitable Business" has been published in the frames of project Crafts Platform in Action. Enhancing Sector's Economic Capacity for Georgia, funded by the European Union. See document in Georgian
2013 - The Guidbook "Heritage Crafts Studios in Georgia"
2013 - Study of Heritage Crfats Sector in Georgia. The study have been conducted in the frames of project“Strengthening Creative Industries in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Heritage Crafts – Common Platform for Development” funded by EU Eastern Partnership Culture programme (European Neighborhood Partnership Instrument) See the document
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Past Projects
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _2023 - 2024 - ReDiscover, EU Creative Europe Programme
2020-2023 - Tourism, Heritage and Creativity, supported by the ENI CBC Black Sea Basin Programme
2020-2023 - PRO EXTOUR, supported by the ENI CBC Black Sea Basin Programme 2014-2020
2020-2023 - Crafting 50 & beyond, Funded by: Erazmus+ Programme
2020-2023 Network of UNESCO Cultural Spaces Funded by: Erazmus+ Programme
2020-2022 - TOGETHER –TOwards a cultural understandinG of thE Other, funded by Erazmus+ Programme
2020-2022 - Future Workforce for Crafts Industry funded by USAID Economic Security Programme
2020 – 2022- PRO EXTOUR: Promoting Heritage- and Culture-based Experiential Tourism in the Black Sea Basin, funded by European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI)
2020 - 2021 - Project "Ostati", Funded by British Council
2019-2022 - Crafting Europe Funded by European Union Creative Europe Programme
2014-2016 - Crafts Platform in Action. Enhancing Sector's Economic Capacity for Georgia, funded by the European Union. Project Partners: Economic Affairs Office of Tbilisi City Hall, Center for Strategic Development of Georgia, Associate Partners: Ministry of Culture and Monuments Protection of georgia, British Council Georgia
2012-2014 - “Strengthening Creative Industries in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Heritage Crafts – Common Platform for Development”. funded by EU Eastern Partnership Culture programme (European Neighborhood Partnership Instrument)
May, 2012 - Open Society Foundation (OSF Budapest) Arts and Culture Network Program approved the second year funding of the GACC project Enhancing Cultural Sector Development in the Dusheti Region
January-February, 2011 - GACC project "Enhancing Cultural Sector Development in the Dusheti Region" was approved by the Eurasia Partnership Foundation and Open Society Foundation (OSF Budapest) Arts and Culture Network Program. The project presentation had been held on March, 2011 in Dusheti
December 10, 2010 - GACC received the grant from the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia for creation of new line of Cultural Gifts. 6 new items, table accessories, will be produced in the frames of the project. In the The designing and preparational works are now in process. We will keep reporting on progress.
2010 - EBRD BAS Programme (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Business Advisory Services Programmes ) accredited GACC and included in the consultants' database. On June 11, 2010 BAS Programme also approved the project, were GACC provides consultations and carry feasibility studies for crafts business sector development in Dusheti region. The project aims provision of detailed studies of crafts sector, to carry out SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) analyses, determination of the perspective areas and potential of crafts business development in Dusheti region and elaboration of strategic action plan. Project supports capacity building of a local crafts based women NGO and other regional initiatives which demonstrate positive cultural contributions to economic development, social inclusion of household women in business.
April 2009 - March 2010 - Development of Cultural Industries in the Armenian and georgia through the introduction of UK experience; British Council's CVreative Collaboration Project
May 26-27, 2005 - Development of Cultural Industries; the Case of Museum Sources and Traditional Crafts; The Roundtable Meeting; UNESCO Moscow Office for Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Georgia , the Republic of Moldova , and the Russian Federation in collaboration with the Arts and Culture Network Program, Open Society Institute Budapest
2002 -Cultural Heritage, Crafts, Cultural Tourism and Poverty Marginalization in Georgia, Finalist of the World Bank competition, Development Marketplace - 2002
2002 - Creation of the Museum Reproductions Line. Philip Morris/ATA
2000-2001 - Development of the Export of Georgian Crafts Through the Improvement of Product Quality, Business Training, and Marketing, GEPA/GTZ
2000 - Solution of the Problems of Inmates Labour in Georgia Through Georgian Traditional Crafts, Know How Fund
1997-98 - Development and Marketing of Georgian Traditional Crafts, Eurasia Foundation
1997-98 - Development of Georgian Traditional Crafts, Save the Children/USAID
Program in progress since 1996
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Goals and Objectives
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __- To develop Creative Industries in Georgia
- To enhance the economic viability of cultural institutions, crafts people, and crafts-based small and medium enterprises
- To support the creation of creative industries infrastructure - To preserve, revive and develop Georgian traditional technologies
- To develop local market
- To gain access to the international markets
- To promote Georgian creative industries_____________________
Exhibition and Fairs
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __2013, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998 - "Artigiano del Fiera" Milan, Italy;
2007 - The East International Exhibition of Jewelry "Emerald", Tbilisi, Georgia - Gold Medal and Diploma for the best display;
2005, 2006 - "Museum Expression" Paris, France;
2005, 2002, 1996 - "New York Gift Fair" New York
2004 - Conference and Expo of Museum Store Association. US;
2001 - "Tendence" Frankfurt, Germany;
2001 - "Exhibition of the Export Opportunities of Three Caucasus Republics in Japan" supported by JETRO; Tokyo, Japan;
2000, 1999 - "2nd & 3rd Meetings of Craftsmen", Bassano Del Grappa, Italy
1999 - Euro Arts99, Madrid, Spain;
1998 - "1st Summit of European and Lathin American Craftsmen" Zaragoza, Spain;
1998 - "Exhibition/Sale of Decorative-applied arts and Georgian Traditional Crafts" Sanct Petersburg, Russian Federation;
1997 - "Exhibition/Sale of Decorative-applied arts and Georgian Traditional Crafts" Tabakhmela International Complex, Georgia;
1997 - "Exhibition/Sale of Decorative-applied arts and Georgian Traditional Crafts" Gudaury sport-complex, Georgia;
