Northern Crafts ID: Identity Development of Northern Crafts

This project Northern Crafts ID: Identity Development of Northern Crafts (KA8028) aims to increase opportunities for the development of entrepreneurship around handicrafts in the Republic of Karelia (Russia), Northern Karelia and Oulu region (Finland). Based on state of the art research in the crafts sphere, partners will offer free business trainings and self-learning tools for artisans, entrepreneurs and students. A consulting center will be established in Petrozavodsk in order to provide handicrafts products marketing services. The project's focus on a unique #northerncraftsidentity will support economic sustainability and cross-border cooperation.

Project news

The project «Identity Development of Northern Crafts: Northern Crafts ID» is selected by ENI CBC Karelia programme under the priority «Growing cross-border business cooperation» and will be implemented from 1 January 2020 to 30 June 2022. The project aims to improve capacity and increase possibility to start and develop handicrafts related business as well as boost the role of craftsmen in the cross-border economic development of the Republic of Karelia in Russia and Northern Karelia and North Ostrobothnia in Finland. Project is led by the Association of Ethnocultural Centres and Heritage Organizations ECHO, other partners are University of Eastern Finland and Finland - Russia society on the Finnish side, and tourist company «Karelika» and Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples and Civic Diplomacy «Young Karelia» on the Russian side.

Why have we started this project?

  • Handicrafts in the Karelia CBC programme area have a great economic potential, however craftsmen have low entrepreneurial knowledge and skills
  • Craftsmen seek sustainable business-oriented training, support and new marketing opportunities
  • Students in professional college and university need information about business management, entrepreneurship, and networking opportunities, as well as professional support and mentoring
  • There is a lack of reliable data and research to inform good handicraft support policy
  • In Karelia and Finland there are different models of work with crafts, which allows for mutual learning and interaction
  • Cross-border cooperation between academic and civil society actors can make a difference

 

Expected results:

1. The status and professional prestige of handicrafts are improved among the target groups and customers.

2. The business opportunities and entrepreneurial capacities of craftsmen are improved.

3. Exhibition and presentation opportunities for handicrafts have grown.

4. Territorial handicraft brand is strengthened through the shared methodologies in the sphere of crafts. Interconnections between crafts, design, culture and socio-economic development are strengthened.

Target groups: (1) entrepreneurs in the field of crafts; (2) college and university students studying crafts and design; (3) craftsmen and workshops that have the potential to become entrepreneurs; (4) Crafts associations, unions. 

Beneficiaries: (1) ethnocultural centers in the territories on which the craftsmen operate; (2) tourism companies and tourists. 

Project activities:

•Work package 1: Identification and analysis of the craft sector services and products, mapping of craftsmen, carrying out of a marketing research.

•Work package 2: Designing and developing of a long-term entrepreneurial capacity building educational programme for craftsmen.

•Work package 3: Capacity building of craftsmen and students

•Work package 4: Cross-border networking, workshops, mentoring forums and meetings for craft sector stakeholders.

•Work package 5: Technical support, consultancy and marketing opportunities.

Project budget: 542 288 euro

Contribution of the CBC Karelia programme: 488 060 euro

Association of Ethnocultural Centres and Heritage Organizations "ECHO" (lead partner)
Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples and Civic Diplomacy "Young Karelia"
Karelika Ltd

Svetlana Kolchurina, project leader, etnoecho@gmail.com, +7 921 453 03 14 
Aleksei Tsykarev, project coordinator, alexey.tsykarev@gmail.com, +7 921 220 00 58
Alina Chuburova, project secretary, alina.4uburova@gmail.com, +7 921 013 82 13
Elena Bagaeva, director in Karelika Ltd, info@karelika.ru, +7 8142 57 10 89

University of Eastern Finland / Centre for Training and Development "Aducate"

Sanna Iskanius, project leader, sanna.iskanius@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 382 3801 
Kirsti Malkamäki, project expert, kirsti.malkamaki@uef.fi, tel. + 358 50 436 1227 
Katja Peltoniemi, project secretary, katja.peltoniemi@uef.fi, tel. +358 40 355 3905

Finland - Russia society

Emmi Rantakallio, project coordinator, emmi.rantakallio@venajaseura.com, tel. +358401922447

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