Digital Empowerment Foundation and Digikargha in collaboration with Creative Dignity announce an open call for application for Digital Artisans of India award. This award is to recognise artisans and organisations of India who have used digital tools and digital media to break the traditional barriers and achieved higher excellence in presenting art, making Indian artistry entrepreneurial and profitable, and in making Indian art and artisans reach national and global reach.
Digital Empowerment Foundation and Digikargha, in collaboration with Creative Dignity announce an open call for application for Digital Artisans of India award.
The vibrancy in the traditional Indian textiles has always been attributed to diversity with each region bringing their own colours, patterns and techniques. A further extension of this can be seen in modern times as many are finding contemporary and sustainable means to contribute to the handloom and handicraft industry. Each expansive and diverse aspect, be it old or new, durable or innovative, experimentative or perfection of traditional techniques, brings in its own beauty and makes it more exuberant, inclusive and relevant to changing times.
Handlooms and handicrafts provide an access to a rich lineage which taps into the heritage and culture of different regions across India, while digital intervention helps it stay relevant and visible in the modern fast paced world. Using digital tools to help enrich designing, presenting and preservation of time tested techniques has proved to be a wonderful contemporary addition to traditional arts and crafts.
The award ceremony for the first rendition was held on 6th July, 2024 at National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy in New Delhi. With more than 50 artisans from across the country, the day hosted various workshops and hackathons with experts from the field, an exhibition and showcasing of the artisans’ crafts, and the award ceremony. The induction was given by Dr. Sudha Dhingra (Dean- Academics, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi) and Dr. Swapna Mishra (Officiating CEO- Textile Sector Skill Council, India). Dr. Sudha and Dr. Swapna welcomed and addressed the artisans at the Digital Artisans of India Award. Dr. Dhingra expressed deep admiration for the artisans’ unwavering dedication to preserving traditional arts and crafts, and their enthusiastic embrace of digital integration into their work.
Experts from the field of artisans development presided over the ceremony and presented more than 30 artisans from across the country, each with their own diverse craft and their own story of preservation of their craft through digital, won cash prizes of up to 11 lakh rupees.
