Work Areas Challenges Proposed Activities
Institutional setting
Lack of dialogue, coordination, and development strategy from government and
institutions
1. To strengthen the dialogue and coordination among relevant government institutions via periodical meetings. To formulate an action plan focusing on the development of creative industries sector.
Lack of trade associations
and intermediary agencies 2. Establish a regional craft association with linkages with local crafts association or cooperatives. To provide support programmes through these organizations to protect and develop producers/artisan group by providing training, capacity building activities and business development support, research and development, marketing and operation, supervision, management and service provisions.
Affiliate local crafts associations with higher/national level crafts associations so as to obtain wider support and assistance. To create advisory groups (with inputs from various sectors such as tourism, chamber of commerce, government departments, etc.) to advise and guide regional crafts associations.
Human Resources
Not attractive to young people, limited career development potential
4. Advocate that culture‐based creative industry can be an effective tool to earn income in the form of entrepreneurship and create better skills‐standard quality framework and better linkage with design‐based careers that will attract more youth to work on the sector.
Recognition programmes such as Master Artisan programme, crafts competitions, etc. be formed and publicized to add prestige and acknowledge craft skills. To introduce and expose school children to traditional crafts.
Difficulties in obtaining
raw materials 5. To establish strategy for renewability of raw materials To establish a quality framework for raw materials
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Work Areas Challenges Proposed Activities
Product and production
Low production capacities, non standardized
management of production and unstable
quality
6. To promote healthy and safe means of production. To provide certification of expertise, knowledge and product quality by third party accreditation.
Design lacking diversity, character and poor
packaging
7. To build up consensus in terms of identifying and developing authenticity markers, regional and geographical characteristics and cultural identity for crafts and culinary products. To introduce professional training and standard to guide the artisans in working on their design. To provide mentoring assistance, according to the needs of each artisan. To formulate competitions as a means of developing and enhancing craft design, quality and standards.
Lack of branding
8. To strengthen market information analysis, create and build branding (based on geographical indicators, cultural/
authenticity markers) and widen publicity, promotions and marketing channels regionally and nationally. To formulate local brands and markers of authenticity with strict quality benchmarks based on artisan skills and knowledge standards and publicize local brands and marks at regional and national level
Marketing
Difficulties in market penetration
9. To strengthen market research and provide analysis to take stock of market/demand trends, foster and stimulate internal and external market demand, while giving priority to local markets with secondary emphasis on non‐local market.
10. It is necessary to prepare models of improved local product for non local market to promote Borobudur community's product.
Protection of traditional
crafts Crafts at risk
11. In line with the cultural heritage protection programme, provide emergency protection and recognition awards for old artisan and endangered craft practices. Establish documentation through digital record and archive for crafts skills and knowledge. Introduce traditional crafts, performances and culinary programmes into mainstream education.
12. Socialization and capacity building to encourage all community members in the area to develop their capacity in preserving their tradition and to find more potentials of their villages to be promoted to the visitors.
Linkage with national crafts recognition programmes.
Recommendation 1: To strengthen the coordination among all stakeholders in the craft industries sector and develop strategies and action plan for development
Initiate the formation of a regional association through the identification of craft, performance and culinary leaders/stakeholders with mandated authority to formulate, implement, coordinate and execute plans for development of creative industries. An advisory committee could be formed to guide this regional association. This advisory committee should comprise of members from a variety of sectors including government, trade associations, NGOs, producers, designers and retailers to provide input and advice to this association. Consultative meetings and coordination among stakeholders should be
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organized, which will also involve the advisory committee. An action plan and overall strategies for short, medium and long term to develop crafts industry needs to be drafted by involving all relevant stakeholders and received feedback from the Advisory Committee.
The implementation of the strategies and action plan should be conducted in a coordinated manner among all stakeholders followed by a monitoring and evaluation of the implementation.
Recommendation 2: To expand the network and linkages between producers and different stakeholders
The craft industries in Borobudur area is dominated by self‐employed persons and micro businesses. For the industry to grow, it is important to strengthen the network and linkages between the producers and different stakeholders ranging from government and business entities (travel agents, hotels, restaurants, etc). Establishing linkages with other craft associations (at national levels) and institutes (design/vocational institutes) as well as designers will enrich the craft skills and capacities of the producers. Establishing marketing linkages with regional, national and international agencies as well as tourism and hospitality industry will help the producer to channel their business in the wider network and therefore sustained.
Recommendation 3: To increase craft skills, business skills and talents development on creative industry
The survey found that most of the artisans acquired their skills through self-training. The survey results prove that artisans are interested to share their crafts skills and knowledge as a means to preserve their cultural heritage and traditions. However, it has to be noted that there is still almost no formal system for artisans to undertake transmission of skills and resources to others.
The survey also found that artisans are in need of the following trainings:
o Product development and design;
o Business planning, management and monitoring;
o Production management, monitoring and quality control (including health and safety working environment);
o Artisans’ design rights.
The artisans are willing to increase their craft skills through both informal and formal systems. Formal systems could include the development of a training curriculum and mainstreaming of traditional artisan skills into current education and vocational system.
Informal systems could include establishing mentoring system with professional craft designers or design institution to support the product design and development. It is also important to support the creative and talented young people by offering apprenticeship and mentoring to help them develop their craft skills and set up their own business.
Besides craft skill‐based training, other types of trainings should also be offered such as entrepreneurial and business management trainings as well as production management trainings to support the commercial development of this sector. The establishment of skills
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quality standards is also important to ensure that the artisans have the required skills, knowledge and techniques to meet the quality that is expected by the consumers.
A dialogue should be conducted to articulate markers of authenticity including special geographical characteristics and cultural skills to root, promote and differentiate products made in this area. The results of this exercise could be the foundation of geographical indicators and branding for used in product development, promotion and branding.
UNESCO has been proactively developing skills and knowledge for pottery and fruit jam. The results have been proven with sufficient standard and quality. Following the pottery and fruit jam products, there are still many product qualities that need to be improved in the future, including the products that are authentic/indigenous from the region such as bamboo and batik. Skill and knowledge development can be done with the support of various relevant stakeholders in order to create a standard that can be used to avoid lack of diversity and to sustain their competitiveness against different artisans from different areas.
Recommendation 4: To establish strategy for renewability of raw materials
The survey found that there is no system to renew and manage the regeneration of certain bamboo tree e.g. bamboo cendani, bamboo tutul, bamboo wulung, arenga palm tree. Those raw materials are the main ones yet have to be bought from other districts. Establishing renewal programmes for such raw materials should be formulated and implemented.
Dialogue and discussion with land authority as well as relevant government partners should be conducted to ensure the renewability of raw materials.
Development of quality standards for raw materials could also be formulated in order to set quality benchmarks for raw materials which will impact upon the products’ quality benchmarks.
Recommendation 5: To raise awareness on the importance of healthy and environmentally friendly working environment
In some industries, there is lack of awareness among the artisans on the importance of healthy and environmentally friendly working environment. For example, volcanic ash artisans were not aware on the danger of the chemical used and inhaling of ash particles during production. Hence, they do not wear any mask when working. Another example is of the palm flour wastes that were not collected in special area, covering the drainage and caused local flood in rainy season. Further example is the disposal of dyed water for batik making without proper treatment. The survey also found out that in tofu and flour production sites, health and environment conditions were poor which could also affect the quality of the product when consumed.
It is therefore important to raise awareness on the importance of healthy and environmentally friendly working environment through advocacy, publications, meetings, workshops and seminars.
Recommendation 6: To enhance marketing, brand awareness and the use of publicity and promotion to build up brand images
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Establishment of a collective brand could be further linked after certification of quality and also authenticating the origin of product. These steps should be developed because of the informal crafts’ need of industrial formalizations to establish a brand. The report recommends establishing or strengthening local brands by developing and supporting various branding efforts such as certification of crafts’ origin, stores, enterprises and communities for promotional and marketing purpose. The brand, through local crafts or trade associations, can be linked to national crafts or trade associations to obtain the marketing networks, platforms and entities. This includes organizing local festivals and crafts fairs and participating in regional, national and international crafts festivals and fairs.
The establishment of its authenticity in the eyes of outsiders is very important and relevant.
The external market is somewhat different from the internal local market in terms of the products forms and function, but costumers need to be reassured about the authenticity.
Another concern that should be raised is artisan’s design rights, for only some of them are aware of it. This is especially pertinent concerning the product design, where there are many producers producing handicrafts with similar designs. It is very important for public and artisans to know about the value of authenticity and respect this need. Authenticity could be manifested through programmes and activities such as quality benchmarks, certification of origin, competitions and Master artisan programmes. Establishing a system of certifying the authenticity and origin of crafts products is very important in terms of marketing and adding value to the craft products.
The other important development for brand image is through packaging, especially when expanding into non‐traditional markets.
Recommendation 7: To strengthen the safeguarding and inventory of traditional cultural activities
Ethnic crafts should maintain their vitality and validity through the internal local demands.
Therefore, the internal supply and demand of craft products depend on the continuous practices of traditional cultural activities in terms of their characteristics, relevancy, identities and aesthetic value of the ethnic groups. Hence, the overall macro fabric of culture and traditions must also be protected, conserved, developed and promoted.
Another sphere of development is to identify and document local culture resources to help sustain the continuous development of this industry. These local and unique resources such as crafts knowledge, skills, local performances should be safeguarded and used by integrating them into the community’s daily life while encouraging innovation and development to ensure relevancy.
Traditional performances are also part of the development of culture tourism. Therefore, it is important to preserve the practice within the society. Almost all villages have preserved their traditional performances, such as dayakan/topeng ireng (black mask dance), jathilan dance, pitutur/sholawatan, kethoprak (Javanese traditional theater), and wayang kulit (Javanese shadow puppet).
Traditional crafts and arts need to be recorded and safeguarded. One of the most important works is to record the resources, knowledge, skills and the work processes of old artisans.
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Documentation and inventory could be in the form of audio visual recording, illustrated manuscripts, training and apprenticeship, etc.
Significantly, these documented resources should be made available and accessible to all (communities, stakeholders, academics, etc.) so as to contribute to the continuous development of the cultural industries in the Borobudur area.
Shadow Puppet
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Wanurejo Annual Parade 18 May 2013