South Africa has seen a recent rekindling of interest in artisan work. While artisan work can elicit a sense of pride and individualism, in a country where most limbs in the economy are outstretched in desperation, it often overshadows other potential prospects. South Africa has a plethora of artisans that handcraft leather goods and creatively combine traditional techniques with contemporary styles in fashion. Every piece produced depicts a narrative of culture, identity, history, and more. But as much joy as there is in being an artisan, there is just as much challenge in obtaining employment and business opportunities that are stable and sustainable.
The Joy of Being an Artisan Today
Perhaps the most notable and defining characteristic of joy in an artisan’s life is the motivation and purpose that arises from the desire to express and create something innovative, especially in South Africa. For South Africa, be it a woodworker with a unique carving style or a potter with an artistic vision or even a textile artist with colorful imagery woven throughout their art, Craftsmen and craftwomen don’t just produce goods, rather they rise as storytellers who preserve cultural heritage in the world.
Artisanal work is important to the country’s history and heritage. In South Africa, artisanal work is important to the preservation and description of cultures of different groups such as the Zulu who beadwork or the Xhosa who weave baskets. The current trends are bringing many of these practices back to life and further modernizing them. This balance between tradition and innovation is appealing globally as well as locally. For artisans, this is a huge opportunity for monetizing their craftwork while taking pride in being able to provide for themselves and their families through their art.
Today, a much more satisfying facet of the craft is the community of artisans that comes with it. Like-minded creators often work alongside one another in vibrant networks where they can freely exchange skills, ideas, and inspiration. And while many of these communities develop sustainable business models that focus on local and green production, artisans are given the chance to directly improve their social and environmental impact.
Alongside the above, South Africa has experienced an increase in the number of artisan markets, pop-up shops, and online stores where artisans can market their products. This has greatly helped in solving issues that dealt with outbound customer outreach and advertisement. In addition, the increasing support for local crafted product has also added to the pride for many artisans as they have the opportunity to showcase their skills and products.
The Challenge of Becoming an Artisan Tomorrow
While the immediate prospects for artisan opportunities are better than they have been before, the outlook for aspiring artisans is potentially bleak. Creating something new and original is one of the most exciting prospects for anyone, however, the lack of adequate employment and a sustainable source of income is a significant hurdle.
These challenges are largely tied to South Africa’s economic climate of the past few years, which has dealt with high unemployment, and a scarce variety of job positions across numerous sectors. An unfortunate side effect of these economic changes has been the adversities experienced by the artisanal sector. Several opportunistic artisans are stifled in their quest to make a living off their art due to a stark lack of investment and adequate guidance to start and grow their businesses to be able to compete with mass produced products.
Similarly, the growing digitalization of commerce poses both opportunities and problems. While online platforms have enabled the development of new markets by making it possible for artisans to sell their works, the competition is extreme at the international level as many small artisans are suffocated by well-known global brands. In addition, for local craftsmen working at a low scale, the cost of maintaining an internet presence, managing logistics, or dealing with cross-border shipping can be troublesome.
In addition, the employment market in South Africa is still very focused on mining, agriculture, and large-scale manufacturing industries. While these are vital for the economy, they tend to dismiss artisanal work as something that is below their level of importance. This makes it quite difficult to have any formal structures or policies that would help support artisans like having designated offices for workshops, craft business incubators, and training facilities geared specifically to the needs for many craftsmen industries. Many of them end up working alone or looking for informal markets, which pose a lot of risks and uncertainties.
Education remains another problem. Even though there are many institutions providing craft programs, the absence of structured pathways that lead to substantial long term careers translates to difficulties in securing gainful employment for many artisans. Without having any access to industry mentorship or formal job placement programs, even the most skilled artisans find it challenging to translate their passion into full-time sustainable careers.
Looking Ahead: The Need for Support and Sustainable Solutions
The South African artisans and crafters seem to enjoy their work but face several struggles. How the future looks like for this segment of the economy will largely depend on the ability of the country to provide adequate support and resources. Both the government and private sector must come up with initiatives that help solve the artisan’s professional development challenges such as skill training, mentoring, and even business development. Strengthening these networks will also allow for better connectivity between the artisans and the rest of the market where healthy competition against mass-produced goods is needed.
It’s a crafting economy as dynamic and complex as the people in it. Local governments and cultural institutions stand to benefit from providing tools and infrastructure that enable artisans to showcase their work, build a network, and obtain the resources that are necessary for them to thrive. An artisan’s livelihood will depend more and more on understanding the role that value-added artisanal local goods play in a global economy.
If these systemic challenges are confronted, there is potential for a self-sustaining world where artisans continue to flourish, and South Africa’s intricate cultural tapestry can also be utilized to create sustainable work for the present and the generations to come.
In this day and age of South Africa, it is every artisan’s hopes and dreams combined into one: to do something impactful with the abilities they possess. Be it helping revive local culture, explore creativity, or even bolster the economy, the sky’s the limit. However, many artisans face dire challenges that plague their future and present, be it a lack of stable work opportunities or an intimidating and saturated digital economy. There needs to be better and more supportive policies in place for these communities to ensure that the satisfaction of creation isn’t stifled by economic concerns and competition.
