Since December 6 and until December 19, Havana has become the main venue for the 2021 National Crafts Fair –which extends to all the country's provinces– an organized commercial and business option by the Cuban Fund for Cultural Assets (FCBC) that the people expect and appreciate.
In days prior to the inauguration, Arturo Valdés Curbeira, general director of the FCBC, assured the press that the quality of the products and affordable prices are the priorities of this event that, for the second time, offers the opportunity to artists patio artisans to promote and offer their creations, and to the population, to access it.
The Rancho Boyeros Fairgrounds and the Linea y 18 Cultural Station have hosted the fair in the capital. This last space is the most visited. "It is the best circuit in Havana, -despite the fact that construction has not been completed and it lacks air conditioning-, it is very central and is easily accessible," Geovanys Jiménez Izquierdo and René Pérez García, producers from Pinar del Río told Granma in front of the Rustivani real estate creation group, belonging to the FCBC.
Although they have maintained sales levels similar to those of previous years, these creators expressed concern about prices. “We feel uncomfortable, but the wood, sealants, glue, equipment and tools we work with are all imported in hard currency. The investment is high and, when we close the cycle, the profits only reach 10 or 15%, explained Jiménez Izquierdo, and insisted that, even so, they adjusted the prices for this fair, because it is also about thinking as a people ». .
In this regard, Mabel de Dios, one of the visitors, said she was pleased with what she was able to buy at the fair, she also referred to the high prices for most of the products, especially in the case of shoes, which currently is not easy to find, so artisans make up for that lack; however, although they have good quality, there are prices that do not suit the public.
In the same way, Mariam Arias, who arrived at the venue during the first week of sales, remarked that the fair exceeded her expectations, since there is a variety of useful and functional products for the home, and prices, although some offers may be expensive, as is the case of the guayaberas which, being a symbol of Cuban identity, cost around 2,000 pesos. On the other hand, satisfied with the fluidity, speed and organization in the access queue to the site, the visitor pointed out that for future editions it could be improved in terms of duration, 15 days are not enough, it could be extended throughout the month, he stressed she. In addition, transport in the area could be reinforced, as is done at the Book Fair, since it is difficult to travel.
Regarding the footwear stands, he said that the offers have very good quality, but that they need more dynamism in terms of customer service, since it is one of the products with the greatest demand.
In a meeting with the press, the organizers of the Fair emphasized the new hours, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., which favors the public and allows workers to reach it after their working hours. This is a suggestion from the previous quote that was consciously accepted and analyzed by the FCBC.
The young Melissa Cortina Reig has only been making artisanal products at home for nine months that are part of natural and traditional medicine. Oils, creams, soaps, skin tonics, are part of the offers with which she arrived at the 2021 National Crafts Fair, sure that "it is not necessary to look for raw materials abroad when we have the resources in the country."
Sanem is a family business belonging to the non-state sector, which promotes its offers through the Instagram social network, for which reason, Cortina Roig points out, "it is a privilege to participate in the fair, and it is one more proof that Cuba can build with crafts and self-employment, as has been evident at this stage of the pandemic," he said.
Precisely, of the more than 500 stands set up, around 50 belong to non-state workers, for whom this fair represents a chance to make themselves known and sell in a space attended by a more diverse clientele. The participation of different economic actors in the meeting is one of its successes.
Also dedicated to making 100% natural products at home, Yanara Ruiz Padrón presents herself at the Fair. After taking online courses, she joined the FCBC and the Cuban Association of Artisans-Artists (ACCA), which gave her It has provided the opportunity to market their creations, which are in high demand on this occasion, especially by women.
Xiulen Dones is satisfied with this type of sales and stressed that at the fair you can enjoy innovative, varied products for all tastes and needs. However, the young woman told this newspaper that she was dissatisfied with not finding gastronomic offers inside the Cultural Station on Linea and 18.
The pullovers worn by the hosts of the Con filo program are also present at the event; next to them, aprons, rugs, pictures and Cuban flags and 7-26 in various formats. Ketty Trujillo and Yurisan Hernández, in charge of serving the public, affirm that these products have been widely accepted.
To date, the 2021 National Craft Fair has achieved a necessary balance between quality, quantity and price of the products. The integration of institutional stands, creators belonging to the FCBC and forms of non-state management, has fostered the variety of offers and has managed to satisfy, to a certain extent, the demands of a large part of the population. Having access to supplies that we cannot find today in the network of stores is a strength of the appointment. What remains? Be more competitive, seek logistical support and grow.
