The Day of Folk Arts and Crafts is celebrated in Russia
Folk crafts are special artistic traditions that have developed over centuries indifferent regions. They are based on the art of processing wood, clay, stone, metal
and other natural materials.
On June 17, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the
establishment of the Day of Folk Arts and Crafts in Russia, which will be
celebrated on the penultimate Sunday of June. The new holiday was established to
preserve and support the unique direction of traditional culture, as a sign of respect
for all creators involved in the development and popularization of folk arts and
crafts in our country.
In 2024 this holiday falls on June 23, and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug -
Ugra celebrates it together with the whole country.
“This holiday has a special significance for our region, rich in centuries-old
traditions and unique culture. The peculiarities of geography, climate, and
historical way of life have allowed the northern territories even today to present
brightly preserved artistic craft and folk art, which, in turn, is integrated into new
creative practices, brands and fashion,” Margarita Kozlova, Director of the
Department of Culture of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Ugra, congratulated.
On June 23 at the site of the XII International Festival of Crafts of Indigenous
Peoples of the World “Ugra” masters and researchers share the results of their
scientific, methodological, art history and technological work. The festival is
supported by the Government of the Autonomous Okrug, under the auspices of the
Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, the International
Organization of Northern Regions “Northern Forum.”
The Center of Folk Arts and Crafts is an institution whose own experience in
preserving socio-cultural values has lasted for 30 years. As a result of the festival,
cooperation agreements were concluded with the Union of Craftsmen of
Kazakhstan and the Russian Ethnographic Museum. At the same time, the Crafts
Center joined the Association of Ethnographic Museums of Russia.
Ksenia Ilauski, President of the non-profit Foundation for the Support and
Development of Folk Arts and Crafts and a member of the Eurasian Association of
Women Regional Leaders, was awarded a commendation by the Institute for the
Development of Creative Industries of the Higher School of Economics for her
authorial material for the Creative Industries Digest.
In May 2024, during the International Art Lab, Ksenia Ilauski proposed the idea ofcreating a resource center for folk art and design based on artistic traditions and
local identity.
