The Story
OrganizerIndia Craft Week was conceived by Iti Tyagi as a response to the persistent market gap between India's extraordinary craft heritage and the audiences and buyers who could sustain it. Craft Village, founded in 2015, had been working to bridge artisans and urban markets; ICW extended this into a public festival format that combined commerce (open sale) with cultural programming (symposium, masterclasses, performances). The Padma Bhushan Rajeev Sethi's remark at the 4th edition -- that 40 years ago the promotion of crafts was like 'moving a mountain' and ICW had taken the effort a step further -- captures both the historical difficulty of the mission and the progress made. The festival's affiliation with the World Crafts Council-APR gives it an international credential that positions Indian craft within the global handmade economy.
India Craft Week's significance is as a market-facing cultural platform that takes craft seriously as both heritage and livelihood. By combining a curated sale with symposium and masterclass programming, it avoids the bifurcation between cultural celebration and economic sustainability that limits many craft events. Its connections to international designer networks and global craft organisations give Indian artisans access to markets and visibility beyond the domestic economy.
A curated craft platform that positions India's extraordinary craft traditions as living contemporary practice rather than heritage artefact, creating better market and cultural conditions for craftspeople.
