Artisanal Connect

The Artisanal Connect Project, as the name suggests, establishes connections with artisans. Chap Foundation facilitates a platform to showcase their skill sets, followed by training and upskilling to improve their entrepreneurship skills. We do this through the following activities:

1. Cultural Shows

Post-COVID-19 pandemic, we have observed a shift in the type of tourism preferred by visitors. Hence, the foundation began engaging with artisans through cultural festivals, such as Shobla Bana in Himachal Pradesh and Kala Bhitoli in Uttarakhand. In Kulvi, “shobla” means beautiful and “bana” means fashion, while in the Kumaon region, “bhitoli” is a festival where parents visit their married daughters with gifts. Thus, the name derives its meaning from tradition, symbolizing an occasion to meet the artisans. You can view the festivals here:

The idea of curating these festivals is to celebrate local culture and exhibit it to tourists, allowing them to immerse in cultural dances, songs, fashion shows, and local food. These festivals feature competitions where the community’s skills are showcased, facilitating interactions between artisans and various stakeholders, including travelers, government entities, businesses, and brands. You can enjoy watching the preparations and semifinals of these festivals. All the preparation is led by locals supported by volunteers.

An 85 Year Old woman participated in Knitting competition received a prize for exemplar performance.

For instance, during Shobla Bana 2023, fashion college students from Chandigarh joined the festival to study the designs and patterns of the local cultural dress of the Kullu region, enhancing their knowledge in their respective fields.

2. Training and Upskilling

Once we recognise the skill set of artisans or interested villagers, we follow it with training and upskilling. These training include high quality handicrafts that you can see on our website and other options of entrepreneurship.

3. Buyer-Seller Meet

The foundation organizes markets in villages to empower artisans as sellers. It has been observed that artisans are more satisfied with direct sales than selling through middlemen. Handicrafts involve a lot of hard work; hence, direct customer interaction inspires them and helps improve their quality.

4. Stakeholder Interaction

We motivate artisans to meet both private and public stakeholders. This requires considerable effort and support, but it has been seen to boost the artisans’ confidence. They feel recognized and uplifted.

This demonstrates the extensive scope of the Artisanal Connect Project, encompassing market access, designer interactions, buyer engagements, and other opportunities to enhance product quality.

One notable success of this project is the Kullu dolls, introduced during Shobla Bana 2023, which have gained popularity and recognition. These dolls have been included as offerings by the State Handloom and Handicraft Corporation for events like the G20 summit and Kullu Dussehra, showcasing the project’s impact and reach across various crafts and festivals.