ARACNE WORKSHOPS FOR STRENGTHENING SERICULTURE PRACTITIONERS AND ARTISANS

The ARACNE project (2023-2026) focuses on the cultural heritage of European silk production and its preservation. Its goal is to revive traditional skills through the adaptation of cultural and artistic heritage. In this way, the project shapes a European cultural identity related to silk, aiming to create a new European Silk Road - a cultural route across Europe.

The project partner from Georgia is the State Silk Museum, which carries out activities in various directions.

From April to September, within the framework of the Horizon Europe ARACNE project, we held empowerment workshops for sericulturists at the museum in two stages.

The meetings aimed to introduce and teach sericulturists various creative approaches.

During the first stage, we hosted six different workshops led by invited specialists.

- The silk paper-making workshop, using silk cocoon, was led by the museum’s director/trainer Nino Kuprava.

- A meeting was held with designer Marta Tabukashvili, who worked with participants in the direction of creative design. As a result, handmade candles and textiles were created.

- The thread reeling workshop was conducted under the guidance of traditional craft masters - Nanuli Azikuri, Mzia Aldamovi, Ana Kapanadze, Liana Anishvili, and Tamar Alkhanashvili.

- Under the guidance of Lela Kirtadze, participants mastered the technique of ecoprinting.

- Under the guidance of Ana Kapanadze, participants learned dyeing and embroidery techniques.

During the second stage, four different workshops were held, led by invited specialists.

- Under the guidance of Ana Kapanadze, participants strengthened their thread spinning technique.

- Ira Lavrinenko taught participants the free stitching method on textiles, known as sashiko.

- Victoria Briti led workshops on making handmade accessories from silk cocoons.

- Participants worked with Marta Tabukashvili on branding, packaging, and developing marketing strategies for the products they created.

Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101095188.