Partnership for creative cultural tourism (iCREATE)

The project objective is increasing the touristic attractiveness of Strandja cross-border region through reviving its cultural heritage and old traditions and creating necessary infrastructure for applying these traditional skills and their successfully promotion.

The activities include creation of local workshops in Ertugrulkoy and Burgas, research about the local artisans’ products that could be integrated in tourism as cultural souvenirs, training of young people in local traditional skills and organization of Cross-Border Crafts Festival in Burgas.  As a result a network between Bulgarian and Turkish artisans will be developed aiming integration of their products to the tourism sector.  The newly equipped 6 workshops will develop conditions for training and practice of the local crafts in the region.

Project aims to increase the touristic attractiveness of the cross-border region of Strandzha through reviving its cultural heritage and authentic traditions.

Project status: Finished

The project partners have implemented the activities according to the schedule.

The project iCREATE has been implemented in partnership between Burgas Regional Chamber of Skilled Crafts and Kirklareli Amateur Artists Association. The duration of the project was 15 months (one month suspended) and it has started on 21.03.2017 and finalized on 20.06.2018. 

The project aimed at increasing the touristic attractiveness of the cb region Bulgaria- Turkey through reviving of its cultural heritage and its old traditions and creating needful skills and infrastructure  for applying of these traditional skills and their successfully promotion. The main idea of the partners was to define most attractive for tourist traditional handmade souvenirs, that could be produced by the local people and to ensure promotion for local crafts, arts, traditions and such places where they can be seen e.g. workshops, museums, culture centers, expositions, festivals.

With the implementation of the trainings the target groups from the border region- young people and women learnt how to make local souvenirs and hand made products from textile, ceramic, paraffin, etc. The produced products as souvenirs tell the story of the place and its people, thereby generating interest and potentially repeat visits. It is the article or ‘memory’ exported from the ‘destination’ following a visit, and should therefore be representative of the uniqueness of place and cultural heritage.

Project partners supported foundation and were working for popularization of the established Regional Network of Artisans in Tourism of the Bulgaria-Turkey Cross Border Region. The network of artisans was presented online at address www.bgtr-icreate.eu.

For iCreate staff and experts, their solution was to create the e- Create platform -a new platform-driven movement for craftsmen, professionals etc. who want to support the crafts and arts. E- Create platform connects small crafts and arts organizations with the support of culture institutions and stakeholders to enable their growth as both artistic producers and entrepreneurs.

I-Create project was a chance for co-operation and dialogue among artisans and stakeholders from Bulgaria and Turkey. By working closely with craftsmen, workshops and non-profit craft marketing NGOs, museums, visitor centers, or agents in the cross-border region Burgas-Kirklareli, the I-create project contributed to preservation of the unique culture and heritage of the cross-border region, while sustaining their livelihoods.

Project website:

www.bgtr-icreate.eu

Materials from the project:

The Promotional materials (roll up banner, information board, folder, poster, invitations, notebook) are available HERE.

Project products:

The Project Brochure is available HERE.

The map with local craftshops and important points in Bourgas and Kirklareli is available HERE.

The research report "Handicrafts in Bourgas and Kirklareli regions" is available HERE.

The presentations from the Networking meeting between Turkish and Bulgarian craftsmen held on 08 June 2018 in Burgas is available HERE.