WHAT: Shilpkala Utsav, a women artisans’ crafts bazaar
WHERE: All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) Sarojini House, 6 Bhagwan Das Road, New Delhi (Near Mandi House)
WHEN: Oct 20 (Thur) to October 22 (Sat), 2016, from 10:30 am-8.00 pm.
Shilpkala Utsav, the annual women artisans’ crafts bazaar, a festivity of arts, crafts and textiles, organised by All India Women’s Conference in New Delhi starts Thursday, Oct 20. It will be inaugurated by Textile Minister Smriti Irani. Pick up Madhubani and Pattachitra art, handwoven stoles, ceramics and a lot more, directly from artisans.
Focused on the empowerment of women artisans, promotion of the crafts, and elimination of the middleman, AIWC offers free stall spaces to selected women artisans, and does not take any share from their sales. The 5th edition of Shilpkala Utsav will be a three-day affair showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage. Browse a variety of handcrafted collections of Textiles, Crafts, Paintings, Jewellery and accessories in materials such as banana fibres, silk, terracotta, paper, beads, wood, wax and metal, showcased by 60 participants.
Artisans, NGOs and women entrepreneurs from 15 states will not only sell their traditional crafts but also demonstrate their skills for the public on all three days. AIWC President, Veena Kohli says, “AIWC has always been supporting women’s socio economic programmes. We believe that women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, education for the family and an inclusive economic growth.”
Ritu Singhal, Convener – Shilpkala Utsav and AIWC Member-in-Charge Economic Empowerment says, “By offering a cost-free marketing platform for women artisans, we encourage them to step out of their homes, reach out to their customers directly and be economically self-reliant. We have miles to travel and many hands to join in our journey to economically empower women and preserve our rich heritage of textiles and crafts.”
All India Women’s Conference is a premier national-level women’s organization and the oldest in India that started in 1927, dedicated towards improving social welfare, education and empowerment of women in India. In 1930, AIWC was registered under Act XXI of 1860 and since then it has grown over the decades and spread all over India under the aegis of Maharani Chimnabai of Baroda, Sarojini Naidu, Vijaylaxmi Pandit and many illustrious leaders.
More than 1 lakh members across 500 branches around the country do voluntary work zealously with selfless dedication. AIWC runs literacy centres, schools, working women hostels, old age homes, short stay homes, community colleges, skill training centres etc. Awareness programmes are regularly conducted at various branches on subjects like health, family welfare, legal awareness, environment, disaster management, gender sensitization, skill development, etc. Its members regularly represent India at global conferences.
(For more, visit www.aiwc.org.in or follow @Shilpkalautsav)
