In March 2008, more than 70 artisans from across the country came to Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, to take part in the first international conference on revitalizing crafts in Kazakhstan and present their workmanship in a trade exhibition.

“These events demonstrated the successful results of the craftsmanship program implemented throughout Kazakhstan during 2007,” said Yerkin Zikibaev, the policy, government and public affairs manager of Chevron in Kazakhstan. “Significant steps have been made towards reviving traditional craftsmanship, improving skills of craftspeople, adapting skills to market-based economic conditions, and uniting craftspeople in professional associations. This has been possible thanks to successful public-private partnerships.”

The conference was attended by representatives from the President’s Administration of Kazakhstan, as well as various ministries, embassies, international and local organizations, museums, businesses, artists, professors, art students and artisans. Participants shared ideas and developed recommendations in the areas of artisan product development and marketing. One significant suggestion was to create a countrywide artisans’ network to promote common interests.

In addition, a memorandum of understanding on revitalizing crafts in Kazakhstan was signed by the Minister of Culture and Information, the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chevron, the EFCA, the Erzhan Tatishev Foundation, and Our Heritage, a crafts NGO, to collaborate on encouraging craftsmanship development.

The artisans presented artwork made of wood, metal, felt, stone, leather, ceramics, and textiles. ”The number of artisans willing to take part in the craft fair turned out to be far greater than we expected,” commented Aizhan Bekkulova, president of Our Heritage. “This demonstrates that there is great demand among artisans for this kind of events.” More than 1000 people attended the two-day exhibition, and the artisans were able to sell most of their products, earning about $25,000.

These events were organized by Chevron, EFCA and Our Heritage, with additional support from the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan and USAID, as part of the Kazakhstan Artisans Business Development Program. Launched in 2006, this program, aims to preserve cultural traditions and support craftspeople.

In 2007, EFCA and Chevron began focusing their efforts on improving and developing business skills of craftspeople. So far, seven intensive trainings have been organized for about 150 craftspeople from all over Kazakhstan. Trainees learned new methods of craft design and production. Seventy percent of trainees in Southern Kazakhstan reported that they were able to enhance the variety of crafts they produce after learning new craft techniques and 45 percent said that they increased their sales.

After the trainings, Kazakhstani artisans started to participate actively in various craft events held in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The quality of products produced by trainees also improved. For example, Tatyana Gusseva, a felt trainee, won a UNESCO Seal of Excellence Award in 2007, the first time a Kazakhstani felt worker won the award.

Other results of the program include creating a web portal for craftspeople (www.sheber-craft.kz), publishing the “Sheber” newsletter, and producing instructional materials and films. In the planning is a chain of regional resource centers that would provide information and consulting support to the artisans, as well as ease their access to markets.

“This will help popularize crafts in society and raise the status of the artisan. It will also help Kazakhstani craftsmen claim recognition abroad”, stated Rinad Temirbekov, Executive Director of EFCA.