Description
Traditions and crafts of ethnic communities in the Danube Delta (Delta), are, besides eco-tourism and environmental activities, one of the main branches that can grow and prosper sustainable communities in the area, without putting pressure on ecosystems. Specific handcraft products, such as braided rush or wicker, soft goods, patterns and traditional symbols are missing in contemporary public space and the main causes are isolation and difficult access of communities from Delta to fairs and exhibitions. Revitalizing and reinventing traditional crafts of the communities in the Delta are necessary for the preservation of a unique cultural heritage in the world and empowering artisans to access in a relevant way to contemporary / urban, national and international audience is very important in light of healthy development and long term handicrafts local communities The specific objectives of the DeltaCraft project are: documenting techniques and symbols used in utility and decorative crafts from at least 11 communities in the Delta; empowerment of at least 5 local communities through collaboration with at least 5 Romanian designers for making handcraft objects with traditional symbols through techniques familiar to the Delta communities; and raising national and international urban public awareness by promoting the products. The project’s target groups are: at least 50 craftsmen from the Delta, which will be identified, monitored and listed by the research team in order to promote them outside their communities and 5 of them will be directly involved in the project; at least 20 designers who will be informed of the research results and 5 of them will be selected to work with the craftsmen from the delta and create the concept-items; local and national authorities at least 10 authorities will be informed of the research results on the status of the crafts in the Delta and will get the least of local and national policy proposal resulted from the research conducted.
Summary of project results
The revitalization and reinvention of traditional crafts belonging to traditional communities from Danube’s Delta are necessary actions for the conservation of a unique cultural heritage. Danube’s Delta, which is a UNESCO natural heritage site, and also a cultural and social space where over 12 ethnicities are cohabitating, faces multiple socio-economic issues affecting the sustainable development of the area: a reduced number of active population, lack of opportunities in labor market, poor professional qualifications for its inhabitants, high rates of poverty, depopulation. The specific objectives of DeltaCraft were the documenting techniques and symbols used in utility and decorative crafts from at least 11 communities in the Delta; empowerment of at least 5 local communities through collaboration with at least 5 Romanian designers for making handcraft objects with traditional symbols through techniques familiar to the Delta communities and raising national and international urban public awareness by promoting the products. The 85 craftsmen from the Delta, were identified, monitored and listed by the research team in order to promote them outside their communities and 5 of them will be directly involved in the project; at least 20 designers were informed of the research results and 5 of them were selected to work with the craftsmen from the delta and create the concept-items. The project’s indicators were fully met : 17 design objects based on handicraft traditions of the Delta which will become flagship products for the local artisans selected in the project and will be advertised for sale in 5 stores; 5 artists or professional craftsmen will participate in an international trade fair; a website presenting the objects resulted in the project; a research report on local artisan communities in the Delta distributed in 250 copies; three exhibitions showing the resulting objects; a bilingual presentation catalog, with the objects created and the crafts involved, distributed in 2,000 copies; 2 documentary films on conducting creative workshops in the Delta with designers and artisans; 600 professional photos with crafts and craftsmen from the Delta. The main beneficiaries of the project were the 10 craftsmen involved had the opportunity to work with renowned designers and to create new products, modern and interesting for the contemporaneous public.
Summary of bilateral results