Georgian Government Supports Cultural Entrepreneurship

Tbilisi City Hall and Tbilisi City Assembly have introduced a souvenirs catalogue ‘Gift of Tbilisi,’ as the final stage of the Cultural Entrepreneurship Festival 2015. Its creators believe that the catalogue will popularize Georgian folk arts and crafts abroad and present Tbilisi’s history in a very accessible form.

The catalogue consists of the works of 32 artists who create dolls, figurines, jewelry, bags, traditional dishes, and pictures. The works are produced using various materials – ceramic, enamel, wax, thick felt, wood, textile and more, all of which represent a part of Tbilisi’s history and show the country in the best possible light.

“I’m 100% convinced that each product in the catalogue is a unique piece of art. This is a co-production of talent and the hard work of our masters. This catalogue serves to enliven the history of Tbilisi and says more about it than any other art work or poetry masterpiece,” said Tamar Taliashvili, the Head of the Education and Culture Commission of Tbilisi City Hall.

Taliashvili also stated that the main principle behind the idea of the local government was to support the business side of the field of art. To this aim, they launched the first Cultural Entrepreneurship Festival in 2015 and conducted various workshops, trainings, and established a Masters League and created a Business Guideline for them. The works of the masters were presented and sold during Tbilisoba 2015 (Day of the city Tbilisi). As a result, the ‘Gift of Tbilisi’ catalogue is considered as the final stage of the entrepreneurship support program for folk art masters.

The catalogue is presented in two languages, Georgian and English, and, under each product of art you can find the name of the artist and their contact details. The edition is designed with foreign guests in mind, making it easier for them to choose a colorful high-quality souvenir and be able to contact the artist.

“It’s the very least Tbilisi City Hall and the City Assembly can do to support cultural entrepreneurship in the country. Their oeuvre is directly connected with the sales of the works within, and I hope that this catalogue will serve as one component of their better realization and promotion,” said Nino Khtiskatsi, Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi.

The local government will continue to support cultural entrepreneurship and plans to futher make a special focus on the promotion of Georgian designers in the frameworks of the Cultural Entrepreneurship Festival 2016.

Eka Karsaulidze