CrafDi

Project name:	“Crafting Digitally: Bridging Artisans to Global Market”
Abbreviation:	CrafDi
Project number:	2024-2-LV01-KA210-ADU-000293470
Project objective:	The project aims to enhance the digital skills of rural artisans and create an online platform to help them enter the global market. This will enable artisans to reach a wider audience and improve their economic situation. At the same time, the project will promote the exchange of knowledge and traditional craftsmanship between artisans from Latvia, Greece, and Turkey, ensuring the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. In Latvia – at Luznava Manor, multiple training sessions will be organized for artisans, providing practical examples and recommendations for working with digital platforms.
Project implementation time:	01.01.2025.-31.12.2025.
Financing:	The total project budget for three partners is € 60,000; Fully funded by the European Union's ERASMUS+ program
Project managing partner:	In Latvia, the project is implemented by the Malta Rural Territory Union Administration of Rezekne Municipality
Project partners:	Latvija – Rēzeknes novada pašvaldības Maltas apvienības pārvalde Grieķija – Helix Social Innovation Hub Turcija – Lifelong Education Science Art Culture Association (LESACA)
Project activities in social media:	https://www.facebook.com/Rezeknesnovads http://www.luznavasmuiza.lv/ https://www.facebook.com/luznavasmuiza
Contact person:	Project manager: Iveta Balčūne e-mail: [email protected]

Project “Crafting Digitally: Bridging Artisans to Global Market”

Lūznava Manor (Latvia), Helix Social Innovation Hub (Greece, www.helixhub.eu), and the Lifelong Education Science Art Culture Association (LESACA, Turkey, www.hayatboyuegitim.org) have launched the ERASMUS+ project CrafDi – “Crafting Digitally: Bridging Artisans to the Global Market.”

The project's goal is to enhance the digital skills of rural artisans and develop an online platform to help them enter the global market. By doing so, artisans will be able to reach a wider customer base and improve their economic well-being.

One of CrafDi’s key activities is set to take place in the second half of this year at Lūznava Manor, Latvia, where artisans will participate in training sessions designed to provide hands-on examples and practical advice on working with digital platforms.

With three countries and three cultures coming together, the project will also foster the exchange of knowledge and traditional craftsmanship skills among artisans from Latvia, Greece, and Turkey, contributing to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.

The project will run until December 31, 2025, and is fully funded by the European Union’s ERASMUS+ program. The total allocated budget for the three partner organizations is €60,000.

Stay updated on CrafDi activities:

https://www.facebook.com/luznavasmuiza
https://www.facebook.com/Rezeknesnovads
https://muiza.mozello.lv/projects/crafdi-erasmus-small-scale-partnerships/
https://rezeknesnovads.lv/iedzivotajiem/projekti/digitalas-prasmes-un-amatnieciba-tuvinot-amatniekus-globalajam-tirgum/
MORE ABOUT PROJECT (in Latvian)

On 8 December, an online workshop for artisans took place.

Participants: artisans from Latvia, Greece, and Turkey.

Programme:

Presentation of digital platforms for artisans
PDF guides and video tutorials for artisans
Experience stories

Lecturers: Iveta Balčūne, Daiga Laizāne, Mecnun Karadağ, Sotiria Bakalakou, Vasilis Kourkounas

The training is conducted within the ERASMUS+ project “CrafDi – Digital Skills and Craftsmanship.”
The project is implemented by Lūznava Manor together with partners from Greece and Turkey.
The project’s goal is to strengthen local artisans’ digital skills, thereby helping them successfully operate in the global market and reach more customers.

On 2 December, the second day of the project’s on-site training took place, dedicated to experience exchange among artisans, as well as inspirational stories and practical advice on sales, brand building, and visibility in the digital environment.

Oskars Maculevičs, owner of the coffee roastery “KUUP”, shared his experience, emphasizing that producing a product is only half of the task: “Producing is not the problem — selling is harder. You need to understand who truly needs your product.” He spoke about choosing to focus on the local market and maintaining high product quality. As an important factor, Oskars also highlighted the “human face” of a company — the smaller the business, the more visible its owners should be.

Liāna Merņaka also shared her experience, speaking about selling on the Etsy platform and modern digital trends. She noted: “If craftsmanship is developed as a business, it must be approached analytically — trends and market demand must be monitored.” Liāna emphasized the importance of deliberately choosing a target market, creating product value, ensuring high visual quality, and regularly reminding customers about oneself. As a new trend, she mentioned that it is increasingly important for companies or products to be discoverable not only through Google, but also via artificial intelligence tools.

Ceramic artist Viola Anna Bīriņa shared her experience of working in a small family business, where all responsibility lies in their own hands: “This allows quick adaptation and changing direction according to demand.” She emphasized that “Cukrasāta” tableware “speaks for itself,” which is why advertising often spreads through word of mouth. Currently, the order calendar is filled until March, and the products are sold on-site at “Cukrasāta,” at fairs, in Latvian artisan shops, and also abroad.

Training participants acknowledged that the day provided practical knowledge, inspiration, and confidence to work more actively with their brand and sales in the digital environment.

The training was held within the ERASMUS+ project “CrafDi – Digital Skills and Craftsmanship.”
The project is implemented by Lūznava Manor in cooperation with partners from Greece and Turkey.

Photos: Daiga Laizāne, Madara Bērtiņa

On November 26, crafstmen from all over Latgale gathered at Lūznava Manor for ERASMUS+ project “CrafDi” training on digital marketing and entering global markets.

The day flew by Lecturers Katrīna Bartkeviča and Marta Vorkale from Sistering, together with Daiga Laizāne, shared insights useful both for beginners in social media and for those who create and publish content on a daily basis. In the afternoon, participants rolled up their sleeves and got to work themselves - taking photos, filming, searching for shots and angles, testing out their newly gained knowledge, and creating dynamic content that will help artisans become more visible. In the training evaluation forms, all participants gave the lecturers 5 out of 5 stars. We’re delighted you enjoyed it, and we hope the knowledge you gained brings great results.

Photos from project archive