Year of creation: 1895
Domain(s):

- oral traditions and expressions
- performing arts
- social practices, rituals and festive events
- knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
- traditional craftsmanship

Safeguarding measures:

- identification, documentation, research (including inventory-making)
- promotion, enhancement
- transmission, (non-)formal education

Main countries where active:

Poland

Year of creation: 2006
Domain(s):

- traditional craftsmanship

Safeguarding measures:

- identification, documentation, research (including inventory-making)
- preservation, protection
- promotion, enhancement
- transmission, (non-)formal education
- revitalization
- other

Main countries where active:

Czechia, Norway, Poland

Relevant projects or initiatives
1. Non-formal transmission of knowledge is provided through the program ‘Live like a local’ with guided tours of the historical town of Aizpute, of SERDE 18th century houses and workshops involving local inhabitants who have stories and specific traditional skills to share. These safeguarding activities teach the local community and visitors how to evaluate their cultural heritage and to preserve it. They began with the project “Living with cultural heritage’ (2016-2018) of the Central Baltic program.
2. The ICH workshops are educational programs for the general public, organized at the
SERDE Center and upon request. They are often presented during festivals of traditional culture. Young people are invited to participate in documentation and data processing. The annual Art and Craft Market ‘Applethink’ combines various ICH workshops for different audiences, including traditional ceramic and local food programs especially designed for families with young children.
3. SERDE provides several annual educational and training programs for the community
and other groups to learn about traditional skills such as wood restoration, ancient beer brewing and foraging for the ingredients of herbal teas.

Year of creation: 1968
Domain(s):

- oral traditions and expressions
- performing arts
- social practices, rituals and festive events
- knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
- traditional craftsmanship

Safeguarding measures:

- identification, documentation, research (including inventory-making)
- preservation, protection
- promotion, enhancement
- transmission, (non-)formal education
- revitalization

Main countries where active:

Poland

• AFA has created national databases of folk creators and rural artistic groups since 1998, which are verified and updated annually. The databases currently contain more than 12, 000 records. It fosters knowledge about regional culture, its characteristic products and specific creators.
• AFA organizes the annual Folk Art Fair in Kazimierz Dolny (55th edition in 2022) which takes place during the Festival of Folk Bands and Singers - one of the oldest and most prestigious national festivals presenting contemporary folk culture in Poland. The unique atmosphere enables direct contact and transmission of knowledge and skills between artists and recipients.
• AFA is the only entity in Poland that has been publishing individual authors’ volumes and anthologies of folklore since 1976. “The Folk Creativity” (“Twórczość ludowa”) is the only Polish nationwide magazine devoted entirely to contemporary folk art and ICH, its challenges, achievements and problems.