The Eastern Cape Development Corporation ((ECDC) will today officially launch at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown its celebration of the 95 most compelling craft enterprises drawn from the province’s six districts and two metros.
 
Celebrated in the form of a catalogue, titled “Home of Craft – the Eastern Cape Craft Catalogue”, it is a celebration of handmade products. The Transnet Village Green was chosen as the appropriate venue for the launch as it is the biggest vibrant craft market which presents a wide variety of authentic handicrafts.
 
“The catalogue’s main objective is in line with the development financier’s objective of creating access to markets for craft enterprises in the province as well as promoting Eastern Cape craft producers and their products. This was also done to acknowledge the crafters that have contributed to the development and upliftment of craft standards and quality in the province. The intention is for this catalogue to be distributed in game lodges across the province and also at South African embassies in various countries.  We hope to realise an increase in sales.
 
“It is also fitting that we launch this work as the National Arts Festival celebrates 40 years of its existence and while South Africa celebrates 20 years of freedom. The theme for the ECDC exhibition is Viva Craft. There is also a noted improvement in the quality of the products and general interest in our products which presents retail opportunities under the Eastern Cape Handmade Collection brand,’” says ECDC acting chief executive officer Reggie Naidoo.
 
In its seventh year at the NAF, ECDC together with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and Recreation and the Amathole District Municipality have taken 40 crafters to the National Arts Festival.
 
In 2012, ECDC completed a provincial database project which identified the top 20 crafters in each district of the Eastern Cape.  The crafters featured in the catalogue are part of this group as well as a few new entrants that meet the requirements in terms of business formalisation and the quality of their products. Currently, ECDC is working with 400 crafters at different stages of development. Almost 100 of these are export-ready entrepreneurs who have demonstrated international competitiveness.  On an annual basis, through ECDC support, they actively participate in local and international exhibitions and trade fairs and their products are in high demand.