Knowledge exchange among Kyrgyz women craft producers through practice, exhibition and sustainable craft heritage pathways (REF2014)

Impact: Cultural, Creative Impact

Narrative

Since independence in 1991, Kyrgyz women’s domestic felt textile practices have been exposed to the influences and expectations of the global market. Dr Bunn’s research on the dynamics of continuity and change in Kyrgyz women’s textile work has given Kyrgyz NGOs and craft organisations access to a wider global perspective and forum for their work. She has linked local textile practitioners with international craft organizations through organized exhibitions and showcases in the UK, thus increasing their international profile and earning income; supported their links with international agencies such as UNIFEM and UNESCO; and enabled the UK arts and research community to gain access to this little known art form. Advancements have thus been made in both individual lives, e.g. in £42,000 (equivalent to 35 average yearly wages) sales of 12 Kyrgyz artists’ work, and more broadly in Kyrgyz women’s craft initiatives through sustained cultural exposure.
Impact statusClosed
Category of impactCultural, Creative Impact

Keywords

  • REF2014 case study