The Crafts Development Program is one of the GACC's main activities. Georgia’s heritage includes a legacy of 
finely made crafts that use rich and diverse techniques for weaving, ceramic making, wood-carving, jewelry, painting, engraving etc. The GACC offers practical assistance to Georgian artisans to foster artistic traditions, cultural vitality, improved livelihoods and community well-being. Through training and collaboration in product development, production and marketing, the GACC helps increase the economic viability of the Georgian crafts sector.
More then 600 individual artisans and crafts based businesses all over Georgia are represented, including professional craftsmen, crafts-based studios and workshops, small and medium e
nterprises, women, inmates, and orphans and disabled children.
The GACC has helped to facilitate exhibitions of Georgian crafts as well as to develop the local market within Georgia. The GACC provides local marketing, competition and sales through the Christmas Gift Fairs and the GACC Crafts Shop. GACC regularly participates in International Gift and Craft Fairs to increase sales of Georgian goods and acts as an exporter of Georgian crafts products to international crafts markets.
Goals and Aims
- To preserve, revive and develop Georgian traditional crafts.
- To develop local crafts market.
- To support the creation of crafts business infrastructure
- To gain access to the international crafts markets
- To promote Georgian traditional crafts
-To enhance the economic viability of crafts people, and crafts-based small and medium enterprises.
PROJECTS ACCOPMLISHED
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Development of Georgian Traditional Crafts, Save the Children/USAID, 1997-98
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Development and Marketing of Georgian Traditional Crafts, Eurasia Foundation; 1998-1999
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Solution of the problems of inmates labour in Georgia through Georgian Traditional Crafts, Know How Fund; 2000
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Development of the export of Georgian crafts through the improvement of product quality, business training, and marketing, GEPA/GTZ. 2000 2001;
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Creation of the Museum Reproductions Line. Philip Morris/ATA; 2002;
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Cultural Heritage, Crafts, Cultural Tourism and Poverty Marginalization in Georgia, Finalist of the World Bank competition, Development Marketplace 2002
PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL FAIRS
