Abstract:

In Nicaragua, for the past three years the author (1) has worked in the Creative Economy. In May 2023 they were asked to develop a workshop to help Nicaragua’s most creative cities to strengthen their artisanal communities. After much thought and several versions, the workshop focused on basic marketing working with the artisans using some of the most basic models of marketing. The cities that were chosen to participate are considered cultural and creative centers. They were diverse and dispersed. Around the country of Nicaragua, the cities included: Bluefields, Estelí, Granada, Juigalpa, León, Managua, Matagalpa, Masaya, Naragote, San Juan del Oriente, San Juan de Limay.

The challenge was that most of the municipal teams were mid-level administrators from the mayor’s office, local offices of the Ministry of Family, Community, Cooperatives, Associations, and the Ministry of the Economy, particularly those working in the orange or creative economy sector. They knew a little about the artisans that Author 1 had visited in their community but very little about artisans in general. They know very little about marketing as well. The challenge in the authors’ three days with these administrators was to engage them with their artisanal communities and give them some very basic tools of marketing.

The research was very qualitative but included many visits to workshops and working with groups in workshops. Through more than 100 visits and conversation much has been learned about the artisan community in Nicaragua.

The life of an artisan in Nicaragua, with few exceptions, is simple, practicing their artistic crafts with primary materials such as, bamboo, clay. leather, palm, plaster of paris, sewing, shells and coral, religious art, stone sculptures, tires, and woods of many kinds. While a few looked very successful most were small working at small or tiny workshops in their homes and selling from the house when customers happened by. A few sell through intermediaries, most use city and nationally-sponsored fairs as a place to sell their wares. Artisans do not make much when you look at how much time it takes to craft a piece, then display, and sell. When you think about these artisans remember that they live in one of the poorest countries of the western hemisphere.

This paper discussed what was done to try to help the Municipal committees to have a positive impact on their individual artisans communities. Those charged with developing the artisan sector of the economy need assistance and time to learn new ways of thinking; marketing is a large portion of that. In most cases as professional administrators, they might know of artisans but not know them or their lives well. In an initial workshop the authors tried to use nine marketing models as a framework to educate the local municipal committees or commissions as to what they might do. Also emphasized was the need to connect, to understand, and to empathize with artisan families.
The presentation and the paper present what was done in the workshop. Further, it will address ideas on helping municipal and administrative teams to move forward as they work with artisans in their communities. The conclusions will include the next steps in 23-2024.

Keywords:

Creative Economy, Artisans, Co-Creamos, Nicaragua, Marketing, Municipal.