Suraj Kund Craft Mela 2009

As spring glides in, full of warmth and sunshine leaving the cold and grey winter behind, Suraj Kund dons itself in colorful traditional crafts of India. The Surajkund Crafts Mela 2009, open from Febrauray 1-15, will bring together 400 craftsmen from all over the country, of which 338 have been awarded nationally as well at the state level for their work. 

The theme state for the mela is Madhya Pradesh, the heart of Incredible India. Around 70 craftspersons will participate from the state, displaying their prowess in folk painting, batik and leather craft, wooden laquarware, Thewa art and all-time favourites like Chanderi and Maheshwari sarees. Among the international participants are 20 artistes from SAARC nations, eight from Thailand and five from the partner country, Egypt.

How to Reach:

• Surajkund lies 8 km from South Delhi. The resort is easily accessible by road.
• Special conducted tours are available from Haryana Tourist Bureau at 36, Janpath, New Delhi
• Buses are available from ISBT and Serai Kale Khan, Haryana Emporium, Baba Kharak Singh Marg

Indian Artisan Forum

Indian Artisan Forum thrives to create an environment to give the upcoming Artists a place of exchanges.

Every budding Artist dreams to hold exhibition of his creations so that the world recognizes and appreciates his achievement, but due to various constraints the gap between reality and dream is never closed. This Forum provides a great opportunity for the non-highlighted to come into the limelight in an affordable manner and show what have to give to the ever increasing infinity.
Website: http://indianartisanforum.com

'craftmark intiative'

The 'Craftmark Initiative' is an effort by the 'All India Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association (AIACA)' to help denote genuine Indian handicrafts, develop sector-wide minimum standards and norms for labeling a product as a handicrafts product, and increase consumer awareness of distinct handicraft traditions. Under this initiative, AIACA will license the Craftmark logo for use by craft-based businesses, cooperatives and NGOs for use on product tickets and labels.
AIACA is a membership-based apex body for the handloom and handicraft sectors and seeks to represent a range of organizations in the handloom and handicrafts sector and to engage in policy advocacy activities aimed at increasing the domestic market for handloom and handicraft products and improving the standard of living of craftworkers.
The Craftmark logo is intended for organizations that are producers or retailers of Indian handicraft products. The logo is licensed to applicants only after a verification of their craft products and the craft genres they belong to.
Website: http://www.craftmark.org

AIACA

The All India Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association (AIACA) is a membership-based apex body for the handloom and handicraft sectors. It seeks to represent a range of organizations in these sectors and to engage in policy advocacy activities aimed at increasing the domestic market for handloom and handicraft products along with improving the standard of living of craft workers.
In addition to policy research and advocacy work, AIACA also implements a range of initiatives to enhance access of crafts producers to mainstream markets. These initiatives include the Community owned Companies Project - a unique initiative piloting producer-owned companies in rural areas, the 'Craftmark Initiative' - a certification program for Indian Handicrafts to distinguish them from machine-made products in the market and a tie-up with Aid to Artisans, a US based NGO, for providing marketing and capacity building services to craft producer groups.
Website: http://www.aiacaonline.org

Indian Institue of Crafts & Design

Indian Institute of Crafts and Design is an autonomous institute of excellence, set up by the Govt. of Rajasthan, to act as a catalyst for the crafts sector. Presently, the institute is being managed by the Ambuja Educational Institute (AEI) under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The Indian Institute of Crafts and Design has been set up to function as a research, knowledge and skill based Institute that makes craft sector contemporary and relevant in the present macro economic scenario. The main programmes of the Institute are Education, Training & Outreach, Research & Documentation and Advisory & Consultancy Services.

Programmes:
* 4-year Undergraduate Programme in Craft & Design
* 5-semester PG Programme in Home Textiles and Furniture Design & Interior Products

Contact Address:
Indian Institute of Crafts and Design
J-8, Jhalana Institutional Area
Jaipur-302017
Ph: +91-141-2701203, 2701504, 2700156,
Fax: +91-141-2700160
Email: info@iicd.ac.in
Website: http://www.iicd.ac.in

BOARDS for Discussion & Questions

Very soon we will be launching boards for our fellow visitors where they can share, discuss and question on all art & crafts related topics.

We have planned to launch Two boards, One for Discussion and Questions and Second for showcasing your Projects with link to Pictures or Tutorials.

At WOH, we personally believe that our blog can serve as both valuable and productive platform, for sharing knowledge and educating our community (esp. young generation) about the true worth and scope of Indian handicrafts.

You are all invited to pour in your valuable suggestions and comments.

Abture: An Indian e-commerce store

Ok, so all of us who have been looking to own an online store specifically on Indian e-commerce website, here is a chance to do so. 'Abture' is an e-commerce website, promoted by chennai-based company, that provides user-friendly software that can help anyone to open web stores online in minutes.

Abture provides the tools for you to become a 'online retailer' without the headaches of customer service, inventory costs and shipping, product fulfillment, merchant accounts, and returns.

All you freelancers, individuals and small businesses including designers, architects, NGOs make sure to visit: http://www.abture.in