British Council Thailand joins forces with the Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand (Public Organisation), or SACICT, to organise a 7-month skills development programme for 20 Thai designers and craft entrepreneurs, under the title, “Craft & Design Innovation Programme”, in order to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and develop their products for the UK market.
The programme, guided by UK experts from the Cultural Enterprise Office, Scotland, runs from August 2014 – March 2015. Consisting of two training workshops, an online mentoring and product development phase, and a product showcase in London, UK, in January 2015, it aims to develop skills in creative business, marketing, product development, and market approach in the UK, and also to boost market channels, employment opportunities and incomes for the relevant communities.
The participants consist of craft entrepreneurs from local communities and young blood designers who have the capacity to work with related communities in order to develop quality products which appeal to the international market. Participants are required to develop products together with the relevant communities and also to transfer the knowledge gained from the programme to help develop skills in their communities.