Our non-profit organization aims to revive traditional arts and crafts and alleviate the existing poverty level in the villages with a focus on sustainable development and growth.
We impact more than 700 artisan families across 13 states of India through research, workshops in design education and marketing concepts, and facilitate community building through creative strategies and public art. We aid artisans by
establishing better working conditions, procuring raw material, and product development.
With over 6 million artisans, the crafts sector is the second largest employer in
India and each year, we lose 12% of our artisans to other jobs, resulting in a high
number of endangered arts and crafts. Artisans abandon their traditional work due to lack of access to markets, and low wages. An artist's income is normally just enough to cover basic subsistence needs despite the
large market for crafts.They work to complete pre-made design orders and often supply to middlemen.
Throughout the year, we host workshops which focus on design education, product
innovation, skill development, marketing and pricing in rural spaces. Exchanges between urban and rural artists are also held leading to exhibits open to the public. Artisans are encouraged to interact with the public through such exhibits. Products made
by artisans are marketed through our retail network. We also extend grants to artists for travel, equipment, resources, and other facilities that help them grow.

Problema

Crafts have been a livelihood option in villages for decades now. Designers have worked with crafts,and so have government agencies.While other countries continue to recognize Indian art, opportunities in India remain limited. Artisans have constricted themselves to traditional designs,and lack of formal training in design or skill-development does now allow them to grow.They therefore rely on external support reducing themselves to handicraft labourers. Many of them abandon their traditional craft for per-day wage jobs. Our Project enables artisans to develop a sustainable livelihood through learning design, enhancing their skills and develop markets for themselves. The need is to develop and strengthen groups of artists in rural spaces, offer exposure and training in urban areas as well, and create adequate spaces of engagement with the arts for the public. Artists need to realize their potential and that art is not made just so it can be sold. There are avenues such as taking freelance design projects, installation art, and training/workshops in universities, that can enable an artist to sustain his livelihood.

Solución

Indian craftsmen have been using traditional designs for years now, leaving little space for innovation in crafts. In urban markets, these products do not find value for the limited utilitarian scope in them. Middlemen make the crafts expensive, and it ceases to be affordable for the masses. Our project follows a unique approach to address this issue– •Our design intervention,skill building workshops EMPOWER artisans to develop their own business and promote the same through our channels. We encourage the artisan to learn how to design his product, assess quality, map the urban market and make art pieces more relevant and adaptable to the global environment. •We have started India's first residency for rural artists in New Delhi, where they learn the process of designing in a professional environment, and participate in International Exchanges. Their exhibits travel to different countries, thereby giving them the much required exposure needed to create new art •We encourage the artisans to participate in corporate events and activities to showcase their skills. •We organize innovative workshops and events with all age groups to encourage engagement with arts. For e.g, Street painting workshops were organized to paint used bottles and re-engineer them to make Lamps. •In an endeavour to promote dying crafts in urban areas, we have designed innovative products such as Card Games and Jigsaw Puzzles, that are based on traditional crafts and appeal to urban audiences.

Ejemplo

There are many organizations in India working to revive its craft traditions but most of them work solely to market crafts.New designs (if any), are created by professional designers, and given to artisans to work upon. Organizations often hire designers to create new products with artisans effectively making artisans 'kaarigars'/labourers. Happy Hands however, focuses on educating artisans on the design process,making them independent in terms of creating their own designs/labels, accessing markets, and in consequence earning themselves a fairer share of the profits. Through exchanges, public workshops and public art, we enable the general population to understand the craft traditions of India, and help bridge the gap between the urban and rural sector. This sustainable approach to reviving crafts makes art inclusive, and gives artisans the edge.

Mercado

Our key partners include cultural-centres, universities, art galleries and artist groups, other Craft research and academic bodies. Corporates with CSR wings focusing on art, culture, youth; and most importantly, effective partnerships with artisans, and Self-Help Groups in rural areas. We would also be scaling our partnerships in the retail market both online, and offline. We already share excellent relations with the American and British Council, and are working towards a lasting partnership with Alliance Francais. These partners would help us in the education and promotion of artists amidst different target audiences.