The British Council has joined forces with the SupportArts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand (SACICT) in devising a 7-month skills development programme for 20 Thai designers and craft entrepreneurs under the title “Craft & Design Innovation Programme”, in order to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and develop their products for the international market.

The programme, guided by UK experts from the Cultural Enterprise Office, Scotland, runs from August 2014 – March 2015. Consisting of two training workshops, an online mentoring phase, and a product showcase in London in January 2015, it aims to develop skills in creative business, marketing, product development, and market approach in the UK, and also to boost market channels, employment opportunities and income streams for relevant communities.

As we approach the end of the project, works by all 20 participating craft enterpreneurs were presented at Craft London earlier this month. Four of the selected craft and design eneterpreneurs were chosen for the excellence of their work, and were present throughout the fair:

• Mann Craft
• Varni
• Pin Metal Life
• Thaniya
• Plural Designs
• Papi Papercraft
• Panpaya
• Corco Organic
• Pym Jewellery
• Angsa
• Maxima Creation
• Pakpuraan
• Larinn By Double P
• Gemio
• Kaewwanna Natural Indigo
• Hattra
• Mae Teeta
• Nong Bua Daeng
• Yano
• Ban Soke Weaving Network

The participants consist of craft entrepreneurs from local communities and young designers who have the capacity to work with related communities in order to develop quality products which appeal to the international market. Participants are expected to transfer the knowledge gained from the programme to help develop skills in their communities.

You can read previous blog posts by Carol Sinclair from the Cultural Enterprise Office about the project here and here.