OREANDA-NEWS. Swedbank, in support of the Song and Dance Festival Movement, has set up a platform for passing down folk traditions and invites every member of the public to get to know Latvia’s versatile craftsmen and to get involved in the process of preserving the traditional skills.

As communicated earlier, Swedbank will invest 1 million euros by 2020 in support for Swedbank’s Song and Dance Festival Movement. In this support programme, Swedbank will put special focus on artisans – traditional expertise and its modern manifestations. F

In the section “For Masters”, the artisans, in turn, can avail themselves of various tips and tools for effectively spreading the word about their product or service among potential customers – starting with tips on how to create their business Facebook page or website and recommendations for most effective communication in the digital channels, to even setting up their own little online store.

“The Song and Dance Festival is at the core of everything Latvian. Not only the songs, the dances and music-making, but also craftsmanship and having the mastery of traditional skills. We invite every member of the public to get involved in maintaining the mastery movement. Using modern channels, the masters of historical skills can become more available and find a new following. Swedbank supports the Song and Dance Festival Tradition today so that we could pass the things important for Latvia’s future down to the next generation,” underlines Ansis Grasmanis, Swedbank Board Member.

Also a Facebook group called “Latvijas meistari” (Latvian Masters), open to anyone, has been created as part of the initiative. Members of this group are encouraged to share with others the work of Latvian traditional and contemporary masters they know of, just like masters themselves are urged to publish information about their artisanry on this page. The group already offers information about the work of over 90 masters to choose from.

Notably, the activities have been taking place and will continue not only in the digital environment but also on face-to-face basis, organizing over 10 workshops by various masters in arts and crafts markets at town festivals. While the more inquisitive visitors learn practical skills of the traditional crafts in master workshops, the masters meet their potential customers and get acquainted with other artisans at the workshops, getting inspired for new work.