ARTISANS’ is more than a centre, a gallery, or a shop in the historic heart of Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda art district - it’s a movement.
ARTISANS’ celebrates India’s handmade heritage not just as a legacy, but as its most valuable resource. We believe in the potential of craft to change lives through creative livelihoods, in a world where the future is handmade.
Our ever-changing rota of curated exhibitions and events, showcase work which dissolves narrow definitions of art, craft or design.
We recognize cultural objects in the fullest context of their unique local and contemporary identity. These are richly experienced through accompanying music, dance, theatre, cuisine, workshops, and lectures in an intimate and inclusive setting.
We launch new talent and impact the lives of more than 10,000 artisans, designers and social entrepreneurs. Our partner artisans earn a major share of the proceeds within a marketplace based on lasting value for India’s living heritage.
Our goal is to revitalise India’s extraordinary array of artisanal craftsmanship, and to credit artisans as owners of the creative process.
"Our aim is simple: to go beyond established commercial relationships between buyers and makers of handcrafted objects by providing opportunities for learning; creating lasting value through a dialogue between us and our generation of emerging artists, artisans, and designers."
Founder Director of ARTISANS’ Radhi Parekh, is a graduate in Visual Communications from the National Institute of Design (NID), India.
She returned home in 2009 from a career spanning two decades, three continents, and multiple technologies. From illustrating children’s books at Usborne Publishing, London, to designing multimedia games in San Francisco, to creating user-centred design at Oracle and eBay/PayPal, in Silicon Valley, Radhi champions localisation to build truly global products.
In 2011, Radhi founded ARTISANS', a social enterprise, in Mumbai. The iconic building in the back streets of Kala Ghoda now anchors a thriving design destination.
A little known fact? Radhi sold handmade jewelry as a street artist in San Francisco. Never happier than when she makes things, Radhi is a passionate believer in artisanal design.