The Kerala Arts and Crafts Village at Vellar, which is undergoing a makeover, will be opened for the public on October 15, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said on Friday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the village, the Minister told reporters after reviewing the progress of works. Construction activities to the tune of ₹16 crore were undertaken in the first phase. Work on emporium, art gallery, walkway, studios, security cabin, cafeteria, exit walkway, roads, restaurant, auditorium, pond, and landscaping has entered the final phase.
The government had started the craft villages at Vellar and Iringal as part of reviving the arts and crafts sector in the State. While Sargalaya, at Iringal, developed into a major centre, the Vellar facility - spread over 8.5 acres - had been languishing in a near-abandoned state. After the Left Democratic Front government came to power, the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society was entrusted with the project.
As many as 50 crafts can be showcased at 28 studios in the village. Workshops and training programmes will be organised with the help of experienced teachers and craftsmen. Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with artisans. Steps are also being taken to develop an extensive marketing network for the products and roll out customised and limited edition products, the Minister said.
Art and craft biennales and festivals are planned at the arts and crafts village for promoting the sectors and the artisans. Two festivals will be held a year; one focussing on arts and the second, on crafts and food.
An academic institute on arts and crafts, game zones, tour packages, and a handloom village are among the additions envisaged at the Kerala Arts and Crafts Village in the second phase of development.
The institute will strive to produce top-notch artisans, artists, and product designers, the Minister said. The game zones will feature spaces for sports such as archery, shooting, and adventurous activities such as rock climbing. In due course, the facility will be developed as a training club.
A tour package using the inland waterways which begin at Kovalam and the heritage villages along its banks will be developed in the second phase. The Vellar facility will also be developed as a hub of literature.
A handloom village is also coming up at the facility. It will showcase traditional and modern technologies in use in the sector.
