Beautiful Things is an annual platform driven by the National Department of Sports, Arts and Culture that showcases master crafts – South Africa’s finest handmade products.
The exhibition has been staged since 2002 and it allows crafters and makers to receive recognition for their work. In 2023, a shop has been added to the exhibition which will run concurrently as a vehicle to sell the products in the exhibition and additional products sourced from crafters nationwide.
The Beautiful Things Shop is also online so that there is an e-commerce distribution platform for South African crafts that will be marketed more widely.
The intention of the abovementioned additions is to create a national platform that showcases our best handmade products and opens new markets for crafters. This year, the Beautiful Things Exhibition is being expanded to include a six-month Business Incubation Programme for crafters. Nine crafters (one from each province) are being selected to be part of an accelerator programme where they will receive tailored business coaching, product development support and access to markets. The goal is to establish sustainability and profitability for these crafters and makers and enable them to run thriving businesses. The programme includes mentorship from industry experts, business coaching, entrepreneurial learning sessions and product assessment and development interventions.
The incubation programme takes place as a hybrid programme, both at the Beautiful Things Exhibition site at the Women’s Living Heritage Museum, and virtually. There is also a series of business development and product assessment workshops that will be run over six months in the provinces for crafters who are not part of the nine incubated crafters. Monthly activations will be taking place at the exhibition and shop sites to raise the profile of the exhibition and draw customers to the shop. An online marketing strategy is also being employed for sales via the e-commerce store. The incubation component is being driven by an experienced creative incubation entity, the South African Creative Industries Incubator (SACII).
Craft is not only a vehicle for economic empowerment but also carries our history, stories and traditions from generation to generation. An exhibition like this allows our unique design aesthetic to evolve as younger crafters and makers are emerging. It provides access to market and new networks for creatives from all over the country. By including the incubation angle, we are able to nurture new and older talent and ensure that these gems are being taken to global markets.
The aim is to show- case and nurture new talent and develop sustain- able craft businesses with market access as well as to promote South Africa’s craft nationally and internationally.
National Crafters 2023
Meet the Crafters In The National Crafts Incubation
Beautiful Things is an annual platform driven by the National Department of Sports, Arts and Culture that showcases master crafts – South Africa’s finest handmade products.
The exhibition has been staged since 2002 and it allows crafters and makers to receive recognition for their work. In 2023, a shop has been added to the exhibition which will run concurrently as a vehicle to sell the products in the exhibition and additional products sourced from crafters nationwide.
The Beautiful Things Shop is also online so that there is an e-commerce distribution platform for South African crafts that will be marketed more widely.
The intention of the abovementioned additions is to create a national platform that showcases our best handmade products and opens new markets for crafters. This year, the Beautiful Things Exhibition is being expanded to include a six-month Business Incubation Programme for crafters. Nine crafters (one from each province) are being selected to be part of an accelerator programme where they will receive tailored business coaching, product development support and access to markets. The goal is to establish sustainability and profitability for these crafters and makers and enable them to run thriving businesses. The programme includes mentorship from industry experts, business coaching, entrepreneurial learning sessions and product assessment and development interventions.
