KUCHING: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah wants Kuching to have its own proper craft centre soon following the city being declared as a World Craft City in 2018.
This was despite the city already having the Sarawak Craft Council Office, Gallery and Retail Outlets at the Sarawak Steamship Building at Kuching Waterfront.
“We actually consider the Sarawak Craft Council Office, Gallery and Retail Outlets as just an office where tourists can come and buy Sarawkian crafts, but this place will act as a centre for crafts, for now. The Sarawak Craft Council Office, Gallery and Retail Outlets is however located in the heart of the city after all,” he said at the venue’s opening ceremony yesterday.
Sarawak will be able to promote its traditional crafts even better as the centre will not only be dedicated to selling Sarawakian crafts, but will also be a place for visitors to learn more on these crafts and how they are made, he added.
The new craft centre is expected to be completed around 2022 as the government is still identifying a suitable location.
“Apart from realising that Kuching is in need of a proper craft centre and the state government has taken up the challenge to build it, it also has to be in a strategic place in the city where it can be accessed easily by everyone. We want this place to be an iconic place for Kuching too,” Abdul Karim said.
The new centre might utilise an existing building.
Kuching was declared by The World Craft Council as a World Craft City in 2018 and the recognition was officially announced in March 2019.
It came after active engagement by the state’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Society Atelier Sarawak with the World Craft Council. – Borneo Post
