Taito Organization in Finland

Crafts = happiness

WHY DO CRAFTS MATTER?

A thriving society consists of thriving individuals You can’t measure the value of something made by hand; you feel it in your heart.

CRAFTS are a beloved hobby that increases happiness. When a person experiences pleasure and a sense of achievement and is learning new skills, their well-being and happiness increase.

More than half of crafts enthusiasts say that the most important aspect of their hobby is the opportunity to unwind and relax, as well as the sense of therapeutic calm it affords them.

The culture of sharing and sociability are an important part of crafts, and doing something together creates a sense of belonging and helps the makers feel that they are valued.

Crafts increase community spirit.

1/3 of all Finns regularly engage in crafts, do woodwork or build something every month.

Survey on crafts as a hobby in Finland, Finnish Crafts Organization Taito

A society that values its roots remains strong the ages, crafts skills have been transferred from one experienced craftsperson to another. The living heritage of crafts reflects the knowledge and skills needed to make handicrafts from various materials in the environment, whether it is building a house, restoring old furniture or knitting woolly socks.

In 2013, Finland ratified Unesco’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Such heritage includes, for example, crafts skills, oral culture, performance arts, social customs and rituals and festive traditions.

THROUGHOUT

1913

Finnish Crafts Organization Taito was founded to promote skills, education and business relating to crafts in Finland.

Innovative societies that foster creativity thrive WE MUST not lose our crafts heritage.

The roots of new innovations lie in traditional techniques, materials and methods.

We must respect and cherish these old techniques, materials and methods, while keeping our eyes boldly on the future and creating something new. Crafts skills and a knowledge of materials are an excellent foundation for creative thinking and new innovations.

But developing crafts cannot be solely the responsibility of enthusiasts. The sector also needs professionals with solid training.

96.000 participants every year at regional crafts associations’ courses and workshops.

Finnish Crafts Organization Taito, operational statistics

WHY DO CRAFTS MATTER?

Experimental societies create innovations more effectively Creative thinking forms the foundation for new innovations and development. learning will become even more important in the future, and more and more people will feel the need to update their skills at various stages of their lives.

The right to learn and the satisfaction this brings belongs to everyone. Education and paths to competence regenerate and live in real time: today, the most important thing is not where you learn but what skills you have attained.

Practising and learning new skills offer people worthwhile activities and a sense of being part of something throughout their lives. The best place to seek education is where skills and tradition are alive and well.

LIFELONG

Crafts can help you learn both the multiplication table and to endure failure and try again.

Minna Huotilainen, brain researcher

TAITO ORGA BRINGS TO TRADITIO FUTURE M

GANIZATION OGETHER ION AND MASTERS

550.000 customers visit the exhibitions and events organized by regional crafts associations every year.

Finnish Crafts Organization Taito, operational statistics

TAITO – SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Crafts create business Craftsmanship has always been closely interwoven with enterprise.

TECHNOLOGY and electronic environments open up

new opportunities for crafts entrepreneurs, and digitali­ sation makes crafts entrepreneurship possible even in areas where finding employment is difficult.

According to the Finnish Crafts Organization Taito’s survey of entrepreneurs, people running a crafts business rate quality and quality control, as well as standing out from the competition as the most important factors for business success. Crafts entrepreneurs do not compete with price. Instead, they compete with distinctive products and high quality.

The effect of the crafts sector on total employment is almost 14,000 people. In Finland, we have many valuable, regionally distinctive traditional products and solid knowhow in modern Nordic design, which is an asset for Finnish crafts skills.

NETWORK OF FINNISH CRAFTS SHOPS TAITO SHOP is the largest marketing chain for Finnish

crafts. If offers regionally made, individual and lasting products.

There are 21 Taito Shops all over Finland, run by regional crafts associations. A Finnish crafts product is an excellent choice when the maker of the product and the story behind it are important to the buyer.

Tourism is a key part of local Taito-accosiations operations. For example, Taitokortteli in Joensuu and Kenkävero in Mikkeli are lively service clusters that play a huge role in the cities’ tourism and cultural activities.

“The collaboration of Lovi Oy and Taito North Ostrobothnia is an example of true partnership. It provides numerous benefits for both the parties, as well as the customers who get to enjoy a dynamic shop that keeps up with the times.”

Mikko Paso, CEO, Lovi Ltd

TAITO AS A PARTNER

Services from the best talent

EDUCATION IS COOPERATION FINNISH CRAFTS ORGANIZATION Taito acts as an educational partner from early childhood activities to vocational training.

The collaboration it engages in with municipalities’ cultural education programmes and basic education build a foundation for transferring crafts skills to future generations. Regional crafts asso­ ciations offer routes to competence-based qualifications in vocational training and on-the-job learning placements for almost 300 students every year.

Training, design and manufacture – all these require top professionals with top knowhow to ensure the best possible result. skills and talented makers are needed everywhere.

There are thousands of Finns working in craft-based occupations.

Finnish Crafts Organization Taito shares occupational knowhow and is involved in training future talent. To provide craftspeople with opportunities to meet each other amidst their everyday work, the organization collaborates widely with entrepreneurs, events, the best designers in the sector and other organizations.

Taito-associations produces services and activities for villages, towns and cities, and nationwide campaigns and projects are a natural part of its operations. All this is possible thanks to the trained crafts professionals working for the Finnish Crafts Organization.

CRAFTS

TRAVELLING SERVICES COME TO THE CUSTOMERS are low-threshold services in areas where distances are great and services have decreased.

The travelling service brings crafts lessons to where the customers are in order to support their well-being in sparsely populated areas. The Design Bus travels in Central Ostrobothnia and the Taito Bus in North Karelia.

TAITO BUS AND DESIGN BUS

“As a designer, I can offer an enthusiast a new perspective and see how my work inspires others to make things by hand.

This makes the cooperation extremely rewarding.�

Marianne Huotari, STUDIOsmoo, designer

LIFELONG LEARNING

Taitoassociations organizes crafts lessons At Crafts Centres, practising crafts skills begins with Taito Toddlers. Finnish Crafts Organization offers crafts courses and training for everyone interested in making things by hand, from toddlers to adults. support comprehensive learning. Studies show that making things by hand relaxes you, increases your ability to concentrate and activates different parts of the brain. Many professions require manual dexterity and accuracy.

At Taito Crafts and Design Schools, which provide basic education in the arts, children and young people learn the stages of various crafts from design to implementation. The starting point for the studies are the student’s personal experience, working with their hands, making products and self-expression.

The Crafts and Design Schools provide an excellent starting point for extensive crafts skills and teach students about various techniques and materials. The students will benefit from the everyday skills they learn throughout their lives.

CRAFTS SKILLS

14

regional crafts association run Crafts and Design Schools in Finland.

3.200

students attend the regional crafts associations’ Crafts and Design Schools every year.

Finnish Crafts Organization Taito, operational statistics

ADDING SUBSTANCE TO LIFE

Joy of learning at courses and workshops Finnish Crafts Organization offers the most extensive service network for crafts skills in Finland. Annually, its courses are attended by 27.000 enthusiasts. are open for all and offer rewarding experiences.

The Taito network of almost a hundred branches provides excellent opportunities for learning various kinds of crafts techniques. The professional instructors, excellent working spaces and equipment and the material available on site make taking up a hobby easy and fun.

Finnish Crafts Organization makes crafts hobbies available to everyone.

According to the survey on crafts as a hobby in Finland, carried out by the Finnish Crafts Organization Taito, hobbyists consider learning a new skill and the inspiring feelings this produces the most important aspects of making crafts. The second most important aspect is the sense of community and making things together.

At Crafts Centres, customers have an opportunity to meet other people who share their interests. These centres help to create social networks that play a big part in people’s lives.

CRAFTS CENTRES

“For me, crafts offer an excellent way to relax after work. It’s always nice to come to the course, because I learn new tips and get advice and ideas from the instructor and the other participants” Saila, a 43-year-old office manager

The joy of crafts at Taito The Finnish Crafts Organization’s 17 regional crafts associations and their more than 100 places of business constitute the largest service network for crafts in Finland. is a nationwide organization composed of the Finnish Crafts Organization Taito and regional crafts associations.

Finnish Crafts Organization is an active producer and developer of crafts services and it also promotes the crafts culture as a skill and a trade. The organization’s values are creativity, skills, entrepreneurship and sustainable development. Finnish Crafts Organization nationwide network includes 17 crafts associations and their more than 100 fixed places of business. The Finnish Crafts Organization is an important employer, providing permanent jobs for approximately 200 clerical workers.

TAITO

Taito Lapland Taito Pirkanmaa ASSOCIATIONS Taito North Karelia Taito North Ostrobothnia Taito Southern Finland Taito Satakunta Taito South Ostrobothnia Taito Southwest Finland Taito Eastern Finland Taito Ylä-Savo Taito Kainuu Taito Central Ostrobothnia Nylands hantverk Åbolands hantverk Taito Central Finland Österbottens hantverk Taito Kymenlaakso REGIONAL CRAFTS

FINNISH CRAFTS ORGANIZATION TAITO

taitoliitto@taito.fi

www.taito.fi

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