Nordic Craft Week (NCW)

Background

(Picture above: The Icelandic Handicraft Association)

Nordic Craft Week (NCW)- An example of a method which involves the participation of relevant stakeholders such as communities and practitioners.

For almost 100 years, the Nordic handicraft associations have cooperated on a regular basis. It began in September 1926 in Stockholm, where a constitutional meeting was held. Agreements and statutes were signed by representatives from the handicraft associations in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

In May 1927, the first Nordic Husflidsting was held in Stockholm, and Nordens Husflidsforbund (the Nordic Folk Art and Craft Federation) was officially established. The main aim was to discuss common issues relating to the situation and development of traditional handicrafts in the Nordic countries. Since then, every third year a major conference and exhibition, the Husflidsting (“Handicraft Congress”), has been organised. The most recent congress was held in Finland in 2013. Responsibility for hosting these events rotated between the participating organisations.

Over time, the handicraft associations in Iceland and Estonia also became associated members of the Nordic Folk Art and Craft Federation. Today, delegates from all six countries meet regularly online and once a year in person. The annual meetings rotate between the participating countries and are hosted by different associations each year.

Basket making in Estonia. Photo: Estonian Craft Union

Today, the NGOs from Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden are accredited by UNESCO as expert organisations in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in traditional crafts.

Working together. Meeting in Stockholm March 2026 Photo: The Norwegian Folk Art and Craft Association

What is Nordic Craft Week?

Nordic Craft Week is an annual Facebook campaign celebrating Nordic handicrafts. For one week each autumn, the Nordic countries come together to showcase both unique local variations and their shared cultural heritage.

Nordic Craft Week was initiated by the Nordic Folk Art and Craft Federation. The campaign is a collaboration between craft organisations across the Nordic region. Participants include the Norwegian Folk Art and Craft Association, Swedish Hemslöjden, Danish Fora, Finnish Taito, the Icelandic Handicraft Association, the Estonian craft association Eesti Rahvakunsti ja Käsitöö Liit, and the Faroe Islands Craft Association. The Faroe Islands Craft Association participated for one year but later chose not to continue due to limited resources.

The Byneset woolen sweater from Trondheim, Norway. Photo: Byneset Husflidslag, Norwegian Folk Art and Craft Association

As organisational capacity and resources for arranging larger congresses declined, the group decided in 2018 to launch an online initiative that could highlight Nordic handicraft traditions in a more sustainable way. Each year, the event focuses on a shared theme drawn from Nordic craft traditions. The aim is to demonstrate both the strong similarities within Nordic traditions and the diversity and variation that also exist. Nordic Craft Week (NCW) was therefore established as a digital platform for collaboration and dissemination.

Photo: TAITO

Why is this safeguarding?

The Nordic countries share long-standing craft traditions. Nordic Craft Week aims to showcase these rich and diverse traditions while promoting knowledge-sharing and participation in traditional crafts.

For one week each autumn, the Nordic Craft Week Facebook page presents a wide range of activities and resources. These materials remain openly accessible throughout the year for anyone interested in Nordic craft traditions. Through NCW, new knowledge is shared about specific traditions and traditional craft techniques.

Traditional costumes in Estonia. Photo: Estonian Craft Union

Experience from previous years shows that NCW reaches a highly engaged and interested audience. Lectures and webinars both raise awareness of the challenges facing traditional practices and encourage further exploration of handicraft traditions throughout the Nordic region. The initiative aims to present the richness, similarities and variations of intangible cultural heritage within this culturally connected geographical area.

Basket making in Hedared, Sweden. Photo: Annika Holmdal/ Swedish Hemslöjden

How it is done

Almost a year in advance, the participating organisations propose, discuss and decide upon the annual theme. Once the theme has been established, all participants follow a shared framework outlining how and when each organisation will complete its tasks.

During the approximately three months leading up to the event — always held during Week 36, at the end of August or beginning of September — teasers and promotional material are regularly published on the Nordic Craft Week Facebook page. The purpose is to maintain interest among followers and provide previews of the annual programme. This work is coordinated and carried out by a multinational working group.

These are the previous themes:

• 2018 – Presentation of the Nordic Craft Associations
• 2019 – Traditional mittens
• 2020 – Wood
• 2021 – Hands on
• 2022 – Traditional sweaters
• 2023 – Linen, the Nordic silk
• 2024 – Woven ribbons
• 2025 – Traditional costumes
• 2026 – Worth Safeguarding: Traditions at Risk

The format varies from year to year, with one or more webinars included depending on capacity and content. New articles are published every day throughout the week, alongside both live and pre-recorded lectures. Each organisation is responsible for the programme and content on one designated day during the event. The most successful webinars have often been collaborations between two or three countries.

Audience numbers also vary depending on the featured craft traditions. Most participants tend to come from the country hosting the webinar, likely due to local promotion. However, there are also a significant number of followers from countries outside Europe.

Finnish knitware. Photo: TAITO

 Summing up. Reflections

An online initiative such as Nordic Craft Week is an effective method for reaching a broad audience while requiring relatively limited resources from the participating stakeholders. For the organising partners, the activity has contributed to a deeper understanding of each other’s work, stronger collaboration, and increased discussion about shared traditions as well as cultural differences and influences.

The initiative has strengthened the sense of belonging to a common cultural region and has created a sustainable framework for continued Nordic cooperation in the field of traditional crafts. It has also demonstrated that multinational collaboration requires commitment, trust and clear organisation. Despite the practical challenges involved, the long-term experience of Nordic Craft Week shows that digital collaboration can successfully support the safeguarding, visibility and continued relevance of traditional craft knowledge across borders and generations.

Weaving baskets- a shared tradition. Photo: Norsk Husflid