The Basque Country (pdf, 4,3Mb) - Kultura Saila - Euskadi.net

7.4. Digital culture and multimedia
Digitization is a widespread phenomenon involving technological
change associated with information (storage, transmission,
decoding and use). It is a reflection of changes in social habits
and economic model. Although a great deal of effort has been
put into technology and equipment in Euskadi, there is a lot yet
to be done in terms of digital content and art. There are three
levels of digitization in the strictly cultural arena: digitizing our
heritage to ensure its preservation and access; digitizing cultural
contents to further their progress; and digitizing creation and
artistic expression (multimedia, art net...).
In the first level of digitization of our cultural heritage, all of
our public institutions are making significant efforts toward
digitization: the creation of a digital library, as well as archives
and daily press (www.euskadi.net/liburutegidigitala). There are
also a number of initiatives in progress (Basque Parliament,
provincial councils, Eresbil, EITB, Susa, Euskaltzaindia, Euskadiko
Filmategia...) as well as organisations that specialise in this activity:
Euskomedia, Elhuyar, Vicomtech, Gaia partner companies, etc.
At the second level, use and development, digital cultural contents
are becoming increasingly more common in cultural production
and dissemination, both in Euskara (a “eus” Internet domain
would be very useful) and Spanish. This is key to avoiding cultural
cloning and also for generating markets in the medium term.
The third level, specific creative activity, together with the
creators of digital art or communication (electronic art, net art,
etc.), includes multimedia.
As it is still a burgeoning field, today the market itself cannot serve
as the driving force behind cultural multimedia. This means that
public initiative is necessary – in the area of education, language
policy, recreating multimedia material on our cultural heritage –
as well as actions aimed at market creation.
7.5. Traditional crafts
Midway between handicrafts, art and memory, Basque traditional
craft-making for the most part is linked to the creation of
agricultural and herding products.
For their activities, shepherds built wooden utensils: makila
(shepherdʼs staff), uztaiak (collars for livestock), aska (containers
for food) or kaiku (containers for making cheese). But progress in
general, and the evolution of agriculture in particular, led some
artisans to specialise
in manufacturing objects for other people in exchange for goods
or money.
Artisans made farming implements out of wood and iron (carts,
ploughs, hoes...), wooden utensils (kutxas, tables...). With leather
they made such things as shoes (abarka), wineskins and leather
balls. Other crafts included baskets, hooks, nets and rigs, pottery
– which advanced significantly with the arrival of the potterʼs
wheel – items made of fabric (espadrilles), musical instruments
(xirulak, txistuak, dulzainas, txalapartak, tambourines…), and
all types of objects related to the decorative arts (jewellery,
decorative metalwork, restoration…).
Today Basque traditional crafts includes all types of materials
(stone, clay, wood, paper...) for both decorative pieces and practical
objects, and the field has opened itself up to new designs. New
artisans are coming on the scene (miniaturists, model makers,
surfboard makers…), using new materials for new uses.
Craft enterprises tend to be small and heterogeneous microcompanies.
The number (including self-employed workers) is estimated at around
300, of which 261 (115 in Gipuzkoa, 113 in Bizkaia and 33 in Araba)
are registered, generating about 500-600 jobs.
The main activities include the manufacture of wooden furniture
(13.4%), wooden objects (12.9%), pottery (12.6%), items made of
vegetable fibres (9.4%), textiles (7.9%), jewellery (6.9%), metal
(6.5%), glass (6.1%), leather (4.7%), marble, stone and plaster
(1.1%), musical instruments (1.1%) and others (17.3%).
The profile of artisans today is quite different from what might
be expected: there are more men (65%) than women; the level of
education is higher than other in sectors; they strive to perfect
their professional activity (37% have taken advanced courses) and
to innovate their work tools; they have computers (for information,
management and improving designs); the vast majority is over
35; a third does not live on craftmaking alone; and most sales
direct between artisans and clients.
The future of the crafts industry is uncertain, mainly owing to
competition with industrially made products and imports from
developing countries. Moreover, there are not enough young
people to take over for the older generation, and it is difficult to
achieve acceptable levels of profitability.
Any major turnaround would call for a more effective regulatory
scheme, institutional support for artisans, implementing a quality
label system (certificate of quality), improving old marketing
channels and opening new ones, and linking traditional crafts to
local culture and tourism.
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euskadi.net home page, website of
Basque Government resources.
Craftsman making a Basque pelota
basket.