The folk handicrafts can be quite different: from the goods of wide consumption on the shop shelves to the unique handmade articles worthy of being exhibited. It is planned to organiza the Arts Expert Council for Folk Decorative Arts in Tomsk Oblast to assess the value of handicrafts.

The implementation of the Law will be financed from the regional budget. It is also planned to carry out investment projects to preserve, revive, and develop decorative and applied arts. Pursuant to the Law, the regional authorities will undertake to facilitate the training of qualified specialists in folk decorative arts and provide them with information support. The masters of folk decorative arts will be entitled by the Law to visit regional public museums and libraries, and work with national archives free of charge.

Boris Maltsev, the Speaker of the Duma, is fully confident that “the investments in traditional crafts will have a vigorous financial return. Nowadays, the region is actively importing wickerwork furniture from Vietnam and Malaysia. Yet, Bakchar district renowned for its wickerwork traditions has not arranged the production of similar or even better and more beautiful furniture of better quality so far!

Of course, it is not the Duma’s duty to organize manufacturing processes, but the Oblast Law is able to facilitate the establishment of special enterprises, creation of new jobs, and economic growth of the region.”