Sri Lanka’s creative economy sector remains untapped
While Sri Lanka’s arts, crafts, dance, architecture, design play a pivotal role in the country’s rich culture and traditions historically, it remains an untapped sector to reach greater heights globally. The creative economy is a booming export sector where Sri Lanka has immense potential for improvement and development.
European Union, Cultural Relations Platform Project Lead, Robert Meeder, made these remarks to the Sunday Times Business last Wednesday on the sidelines of the launch of ‘Pioneering Craft Matchmaking Programme under Creative Sri Lanka 2030’ held at the Export Development Board (EDB) in Colombo.
Mr. Meeder said, “Sri Lanka has a very rich creative economy and culture historically. Arts and crafts are not an appealing sector the younger generations look into. There is low appreciation of the sector and thus the low demand. The ‘Creative Sri Lanka 2030’ project identifies value and demand to this sector on how to bring more dignity and pride. Sri Lanka has not yet understood its potential and the creative economy sector still remains untapped.”
In Sri Lanka it’s all about the volume of products manufactured, but in Europe it’s the quality and value. “We appreciate high value and it’s not about volume,” he added.
During the matchmaking process, the two companies from Europe and Sri Lanka come together with different brands as partners, not as the European brand becoming a demand and the Sri Lankan company becoming the manufacturer. Europe firms provide the market access and Sri Lankan firms have the craft access and thus the two companies will be co-creating their products to export globally. For a Sri Lankan brand to export to the European market it’s very expensive and challenging, noted Mr. Meeder.
EDB, Chairman and CEO, Mangala Wijesinghe stated, “The time is ripe to look at craft exports in a multidimensional way. Sri Lanka is home to an incredible wealth of craft talent, but our creatives and artisans have often lacked the market access needed to scale their businesses globally. This collaboration serves as both a test and an opportunity, an invitation for world-class designers to co-create and partner with our finest craft makers, proving that Sri Lanka can compete in high-value export markets.”
Delegation of the EU to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Charge d’affaires ai, Lars Bredal said, “Sri Lanka’s craft sector has potential. This initiative is about inclusion, sustainability, and ensuring that traditional crafts thrive in the modern economy. We are working with the EDB to make Sri Lankan crafts truly export ready.”
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