City of Crafts and Folk Arts

UNESCO's City of Crafts and Folk Arts project is part of the wider Creative Cities Network, founded in 2004, which designates cities worldwide that have made unique contributions to the field of crafts and folk arts.

The current designated Cities of Crafts and Folk Arts of UNESCO are:

City Country Year Notes
Al-Ahsa Saudi Arabia 2015 Ancient tradition of handicrafts, including textiles from palm trees, pottery, weaving, and joinery.
Areguá Paraguay 2019 Known for its pottery, home to 450 pottery workshops.
Aswan Egypt 2005 Heritage of crafts and folk arts, including beadwork, tablecloth production, palm branch and leaf creations, as well as clay and needle-work products.
Ayacucho Peru 2019 Known for its various crafts such as retablo, tapestry, Huamanga stone carving, pottery, textiles and embroidery.
Baguio Philippines 2017 Varied traditions in weaving, woodcarving, silver crafting, and tattooing and tattoo art.
Ballarat Australia 2019 Historical and modern reputation as a melting pot for various forms and traditions of Indigenous Australian art.
Bamyan Afghanistan 2015 Unique history of crafts influenced by Muslim and Buddhist cultures that are still practiced in the area today.
Bandar Abbas Iran 2019 History of creative arts such as practical and marine crafts, local clothing, and local musical instruments.
Barcelos Portugal 2017 Origin of the famous Rooster of Barcelos.
Biella Italy 2019 History of wool manufacturing and textile manufacturing.
Bukhara Uzbekistan 2023 Known for its golden embroidery, ceramics, jewellery, and woodwork.
Cairo Egypt 2017 Ancient history of specializing in pottery, glassblowing, coppersmith, ceramic and jewelry.
Caldas da Rainha Portugal 2019 Center of ceramic production.
Carrara Italy 2017 World-renowned white marble that has influenced Carrara's development as a center of crafts in Tuscany and in Italy.
Castelo Branco Portugal 2023 Known for its distinctive embroidery.
Chiang Mai Thailand 2017 History as a trade center and a region of cultural diversity that has influenced a craft culture of pottery, silverwork, woodcarving, silk embroidery, and lacquerware.
Chordeleg Ecuador 2017 Unique precious metal work, footwear manufacturing, pottery, and toquilla straw weaving that has been passed down through generations through oral tradition.
Durán Ecuador 2015 Long history of syncretism between urban art and murals and traditional Ecuadorian art and craft.
Fabriano Italy 2013 Status as a center for crafts such as pottery, weaving, blacksmithing, and paper making since the 12th century.
Gabrovo Bulgaria 2017 One of the largest craft centers in Bulgaria, specifically in woodcarving and wool weaving.
Hangzhou China 2012 Ancient history of silk and tea production, as well as porcelain and bronze sculptures, known as China's Tea Capital.
Hội An Vietnam 2023 Known for Bài chòi, a folk artform combining dance, theatre and song.
Icheon South Korea 2010 Historical and modern status as the center of Korea's ceramic and pottery crafting.
Isfahan Iran 2015 Various crafts including carpet weaving, metalwork, woodwork, ceramics, painting and inlay works of various kinds.
Jacmel Haiti 2014 Traditions of painting, sculpture-making, and giant papier-mâché masks, as well as the place of origin of the Jacmel painting school in Haitian art.
Jaipur India 2015 Historical crafts of jewelry making, carving, and painting that have been a center of trade since the early 18th century, with 53,500 workshops practicing these crafts today.
Jingdezhen China 2014 Called the "Porcelain Capital" for its ancient history of porcelain work.
Jinju South Korea 2019 History of wooden furniture-making, ornamental knife-making, metal crafts and silk.
João Pessoa Brazil 2017 Unique production of cotton fabric, as well as production of pottery, embroidery, and crochet.
Kanazawa Japan 2009 Samurai-inspired arts culture, unique craftwork such as the kaga-yuzen silk dying technique.
Kargopol Russia 2019 Traditional textile embroidery, artisanal wood and bark carving, and clay-fired colored figures known as Kargopol toys, all of which form the most important sector of the city's economy today.
Kütahya Turkey 2017 Unique art of ceramic çini making which dominates the city's landscape.
Limoges France 2017 History of ceramics, enamel, and glass-making, as well as a more recently founded porcelain industry.
Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of Congo 2015 Unique copper and malachite crafts created in the city, with over 50 workshops dedicated to malachite carving.
Madaba Jordan 2017 Largest number of mosaics discovered in their original location in the world, including its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and the oldest-surviving description of the Holy Land.
Montecristi Ecuador 2023 Famous for the production of handwoven toquilla hats.
Nassau Bahamas 2014 Bahamian cultural and creative traditions of straw weaving and Junkanoo craftmaking formed from a blend of Indigenous and African cultural traditions.
Ouagadougou Burkina Faso 2017 Traditional craft of bronze and copper casting and crafting that forms a major sector of the city's economy even today.
Paducah United States 2013 History and contributions to the craft of quilt making in the United States.
Pekalongan Indonesia 2014 Cultural history and importance of Batik crafts and cloths to the city and its identity.
Perth, UK United Kingdom 2021 Craft is an integral part of this area’s history. Mediaeval Perth was a centre of craft production and trade. By the early 1500s, Perth was known as a ‘Craftis Toun’. This reputation has stayed with the region throughout the centuries, and today there is still a thriving and reputable Craft and Folk Art sector.
Porto-Novo Benin 2017 History and unique practice of various crafts such as wickerwork, blacksmithing, pottery, and manufacturing of musical instruments in the city, with 42 historical craft guilds in the city.
San Cristobal de Las Casas Mexico 2015 Preservation of Indigenous Mexican crafts and arts such as embroidery, pottery, blacksmithing, woodcarving, and amber craftmaking.
Santa Fe United States 2005 Native American crafts of jewelry, pottery, and weaving and the trade fairs in these crafts that have become an integral part of the city's identity, as well as Spanish colonial art such as folk dance, straw applique, and tinwork.
Santa Marta Colombia 2018 site of almost 12 ancient Caribbean cultures, known for their Wayúu handcrafts and Tayrona handmade gold pieces.
Sharjah United Arab Emirates 2019 Traditional craft of "Talli" weaving.
Sheki Azerbaijan 2017 Status as the center of silk production and textiles in the Caucasus, as well as other traditional crafts such as wood-framed stained glass and pottery.
Sokodé Togo 2017 Renowned for its art of weaving.
Srinagar India 2021 Centuries old traditional handcrafted weaving arts such as the Pashmina shawl, as well as other handicrafts such as handbags, lampshades, and other handcrafted home decor items.
Sukhothai Thailand 2019 Culturally important artisanal products of gold and silver ornaments, textile weaving, and ceramic and Sangkhalok wares.
Surakarta Indonesia 2023 Known for traditional batik textile production.
Suzhou China 2014 History and culture of crafts in embroidery, carving, papermaking, painting, printing, and calligraphy.
Nan Thailand 2025 Nan is famous for its intricate traditional weaving (notably the Teen Chok and Lai Nam Lai patterns), silver craftsmanship, and traditional woodcarving.
Tamba-Sasayama Japan 2015 Ancient history of unique tanba-yaki pottery, a source of local pride.
Tetouan Morocco 2017 History of crafts such as Zellige, Taajira embroidery, encrusted and painted wood and wrought ironwork.
Trinidad Cuba 2019 History of a fibre fabrics industry.
Tunis Tunisia 2017 Known for its artisan souks that line alleyways.
Ulaanbaatar Mongolia 2023 Significant for traditional crafts such as national clothing, felt crafts and folk dance.
Viljandi Estonia 2019 Various crafts including blacksmithing, ceramics, and wool.
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