What are the prospects for a cultural heritage business? Are there any successful cases in Ukraine when antiquity was restored, protected and profitable? How to protect in the legal field what already seems to be an intangible heritage of the whole world?

These issues were discussed in Ivano-Frankivsk, where the conference “Vytoky. Maibutnie”, dedicated to the role of business, law and marketing in the preservation of cultural heritage.

Among the speakers of the large-scale event was Dmytro Doroshenko, head of the Unit for the Development Creative Sectors of the Economy, Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO/IP Office).

During the session “Working with craftsmen or working as a craftsman”, the representative of UANIPIO spoke not only about what the IP Office is currently doing for craftsmen of folk arts and crafts and business, in particular in terms of thousands of consultations and dozens of educational events, but also about legal prospects for the near future:

“Taking into account the fact that the European Parliament has adopted a new regulation on the protection of geographical indications, according to which both crafts and folk crafts are now subject to protection, Ukraine is preparing to change its Law of Ukraine “On Legal Protection of Geographical Indications”. This will mean that Kosiv painted ceramics, lizhnykarstvo*, and other crafts can be registered as geographical indications. This is something that is tied to the region, to human experience, to the skills and mind of the local craftsman. This will protect manufacturers and consumers of original products from counterfeiting, and ultimately increase the price of original products, because they are authentic and unique. In the IP Office, we are already working in this direction to prepare craftsmen and business for changes in legislation.”

Dmytro Doroshenko

Dmytro Doroshenko also reiterated:

“According to the State Statistics Service, KVED “Individual Art Activity”, which also includes folk arts and crafts, back in 2021 brought about 700 million UAH of added value. In 2023, this statistic was already only 9 million UAH. Well, the data may not be very accurate, but the tendency is obvious. The closure of businesses, the physical destruction of people and premises, the service of craftsmen in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the departure of some craftsmen abroad – these are all the factors that cannot be ignored. But I want cultural heritage to eventually become popular, move into the category of a civilized and profitable business, where the craftsman will finally be able to get the funds that he really deserves with the help of intellectual property tools.”

Co-rapporteurs at the panel discussion were also:

• Nataliia Kamenska, creative director and co-founder of Gunia Project;
• Daryna Lukaniuk, marketer, designer and co-founder of the studio of household items “Gushka”;
• Solomiia Lebiak, researcher of cultural heritage and modern integrations in the brand Etnodim.

The session was moderated by Iryna Hrytsaienko, CEO Zagoriy Foundation.

*Lizhnykarstvo – the traditional craft of making bedspreads, thick wool products with a voluminous surface and a long fluffy pile that are used as blankets, bedspreads or carpets.

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