Artisans Unite: A push to strengthen India’s creative economy – Lifestyle News

In December 2022, a report by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) stated: “India’s creative economy is large, but its untapped potential is even greater.”

This rather bold statement of the think tank is confirmed by unique numbers, especially when it comes to the textile industry – according to Invest India, the craft sector employs over 6.8 million people. The handloom sector also employs over 3.5 million people and over 2.5 million allied workers. Total handicraft exports were over $1,800 million last financial year.

While the data may be promising, there are huge delays at the local level that are worrying India’s creative people – artisans, weavers and even traders. That’s why some of them are now advocating for the formalization of the creative economy to make their concerns heard.

The most important question

But why is there a need to formalize the creative economy under one umbrella term – especially when it encompasses dozens of vast sectors that are largely self-organizing? “This is the reason,” says Rakhi Sarkar, founder of Kolkata-based art gallery CIMA and chairwoman of the recently launched All-India Creative Economy Initiative.

“These sectors are self-organized and in some spaces even disorganized. They function, but barely,” he says.

Stakeholders say that people working in the creative economy face everyday problems that may seem trivial or insignificant but cause significant losses.

Consider this for example. In 2017, soon after the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), work for weavers across the country began to dry up due to the 5% tax levied on cotton and yarn.

In 2024, the situation is still bleak. Sujata Swaragi, a small business owner from Bengal who works with Kantha artisans in and around Kolkata, says many craft workers are leaving the profession and taking up part-time jobs because of how burdensome the process has become for them.

Swaragi explains that since most of the weavers he works with are illiterate, it is really difficult for them to understand how to account for GST and how e-way bills work. “The people I work with only have one lawyer in their village who helps them file their taxes every year. However, if he is not there, there is no guarantee that they will get TDS or refund,” he added.

He says most of the craftsmen are elderly and their children either migrate to other cities or take up jobs as drivers or mechanics. Sarkar also recalls how some of the artisans she had previously worked with in Odisha now took up the job of carving only deities due to tax exemption.

Let’s face it, craftsmanship is not the problem here. These people are skilled, but everything before and after is taxing for them. “The basis of the creative economy are rural spaces. They are punished through no fault of their own. Without government intervention, we lose art for the sake of details,” says Sarkar.

Gajam Govardhana, a master weaver and Padma Shri awardee, agrees. His misfortunes are very similar to Swaragi’s, but unfortunately they do not end there.

Govardhana tells FE that there is a shortage of work for weavers and so is their income. “Earlier, orders were placed by state emporiums, central emporiums, Handloom Export Promotion Council, but now none of these bodies are getting support. Weaving is an art that requires the effort of the whole family, but children do not want to learn how to use a hand loom because there is no guarantee of a job,” he says.

Sunita Shanker, a fashion and textile designer working in crafts with over three decades of experience, also believes that there is a need to formalize the creative economy because while Indian art forms have gone global – every now and then, individual efforts are showcased rather than a collective effort.

He makes two points: first, every person in the value chain must be valued, from the farmer who sows the seeds, to the craftsman who makes the product, to the trader who sells it. In the case of a regular cotton gamcha that you buy, someone dyes it, someone embroiders it, someone draws on it, someone blocks the printing, someone identifies the color and pattern, and someone designs it. Second, the creative economy provides many women with a livelihood and a springboard to empowerment.

When looking at these concerns expressed by interested parties, it is also worth paying attention to the scale of this economy. According to data from Invest India, which is under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, “the domestic garment and textile industry contributes 2.3% of the country’s GDP and 12% of exports.” The industry is also expected to reach “$250 billion in textile production and $100 billion in exports by 2030.”

Unfortunately, this does not only apply to the textile industry. Performing artists around the world are also struggling.

A 2022 study by Kafqa Academy showed that the Indian performing arts market was valued at $3.8 billion. But Toshiva Jain, a 26-year-old theater actress, says people in the industry can barely make a living.

Jain has seven years of experience and is a member of the Delhi-based group Theater of the Oppressed. But she also works as a consultant to support herself.

“On average, it takes 4-6 months for a stage play to come to fruition. If at the end of this period you receive $30,000 for all your work, it will not be enough. And after years of such unpaid or poorly paid projects, artists are usually forced to give up to make ends meet. Only the privileged can afford it,” Jain tells FE.

Political solution

And where is the answer to these questions? “Politics and advocacy,” was the unanimous response from those interviewed by FE.

Sarkar says: “We want to improve the processes and norms that people in the creative economy must follow. Since this covers various industries, we want to outline the issues and day-to-day hassles faced by stakeholders in each sector and then take them to the state and central governments for a solution.”

But Swaragi has a different opinion here. He emphasizes that instead of improving the creative economy by making processes similar in each industry, it will be more valuable to leave the differences and work around them.

The point stands. Homogeneity could possibly weaken the output produced by sectors. Meha Jayaswal, associate dean for fashion communications and fashion business at Pearl Academy, says that when it comes to art, our country has no shortage of it, which is due to our rich and diverse cultural heritage – with different music brands from different regions. distinct creative film work from various industries and many different proposals when it comes to fashion, literature and cuisine.

However, we lack good marketing and their organization.

Govardhana says another way to help promote art is through exemption from taxes such as GST and providing subsidies to weavers and artists. He adds, “Just like the government buys produce from farmers at the minimum price (MSP), it would be extremely helpful if the same was done with us.”

All stakeholders also point out that the government has shown sympathy for the plight of most people working in creative professions and that they should opt for simple and sustainable procedures – whether in the field of patents, legality, customs, or trade regulations. At the same time, systems that establish an ethos for ethical practices are also needed.

But before doing so, Swaragi insists that the most important need is to educate people in rural areas. Her advice and support is to make sure people know how to read before they are given five different forms and links to work with. Jain also says that the promotion of art should start at the grassroots level, i.e. in schools and colleges. He says government funding and corporate funding through CSR projects can make a significant difference.

Shanker also suggests something similar. “Building community support by teaching craft skills would also help promote the arts. This would also help in representing citizens’ issues before the government,” he says.

Jayaswal fully agrees with these recommendations. Says FE: “By improving students’ critical thinking, technical skills and instilling a passion for innovation, we can empower our students to become catalysts for change and make significant contributions to the global creative landscape. Another very important role we can play through educational institutions is to generate more entrepreneurs so that the creative economy can thrive.”

At the same time, Ananth Padmanabhan, CEO of HarperCollins, comments: “At its core, we need policies that allow everyone to join the creative economy, pursue their art form and reach audiences, get government support at both the state and central levels, reach out to audiences around the world, have an appropriate tax framework to enable growth, ensure protection of intellectual property rights to avoid losing out to piracy, and protect freedom of speech.”

There are, of course, other issues that also require urgent attention – “market uncertainty”, managing the performance of creative industries, determining “the true economic value of intellectual property (as reported by ADBI)” and fundraising.

While all of this requires intervention, Padmanabhan points to the need to leave art accessible and artists free from fear of self-censorship or questioning of their views.

However, these experts also emphasize the need to keep up with the ever-expanding creative economy. The approach must be flexible – they emphasize – the government, private players and artists must be on the same page and be susceptible to change. “The rules may need to be updated every few years to take into account newer changes in AI, existing regulations, etc.” – says Sarkar.