10.08.2026

On 10 August 2026, on the closing day of the 16th edition of Etno Fest in Kukaj Village, Artpolis, in cooperation with Etno Fest and QPDG, organized the workshop “Embroidery and Traditional Practices.” The activity was conceived as a space where traditional crafts, cultural memory, and contemporary creativity could come together through direct, hands-on experience.

Beyond being a textile craft, embroidery was explored as a form of preserving memory and transmitting stories across generations. Through working alongside women artisans, participants were introduced to embroidery techniques, decorative motifs, and the ways in which these crafts have been part of everyday life and cultural identity. The strong interest of participants created an open atmosphere where learning took place through observation, questions, exchange, and practice.

Participants had the opportunity to try embroidery themselves, while also exploring other traditional handcraft techniques. Through needle knitting, they discovered another form of textile-making, while the introduction to filigree work offered an insight into a different craft requiring patience, precision, and dedication. These experiences expanded the workshop beyond a single technique, turning it into a broader exploration of traditional handcraft culture.

The activity also opened discussions on the transformation of traditional practices and how they can continue to live and evolve within a constantly changing cultural environment. Participants reflected on the importance of preserving inherited knowledge, while also discussing the need to adapt, practice, and communicate these traditions in ways that resonate with younger generations.

In this process, the women artisans were recognized not only as creators of traditional products, but as bearers of living cultural knowledge. Their direct engagement with participants created an opportunity for this knowledge to be passed on through personal interaction, transforming cultural heritage from something to be observed into something to be learned, experienced, and shared.

Participants also documented the process through photography and video, creating visual content that contributes to presenting these practices to a wider audience and bringing cultural heritage closer to the visual language and communication habits of younger generations.

As the final activity of this cycle at Etno Fest, the embroidery workshop created a space for reflection on what we preserve from the past, what we pass on to younger generations, and how traditional practices can remain alive through experience, creativity, and the sharing of knowledge.

This activity was organized within the framework of the “Heritage Horizons: A Journey Across Generations” project by Artpolis, in cooperation with Etno Fest and QPDG, as part of the BOOST Balkans programme, funded by AFD – Agence Française de Développement and coordinated by ALDA Balkans.