In anticipation of Christmas, Artten Gallery launched a very special series of craft workshops with Tanya from Ukraine. People who have no families and friends to celebrate Advent could join us every Saturday from 15:00 to 18:00. The afternoons were filled with creativity and the warmth of community. Materials and fika were included.
Together, we developed and created unique Christmas decorations knitted in a Granny Squares rich color palette, aiming to spread hope and optimism.
The background: During fall 2023, Ludmila Christeseva has initiated a series of craft workshops to address the growing issue of loneliness worldwide. The initiative aimed to integrate Ukrainian refugees into Swedish society through crafts and provide them with entrepreneurial skills for establishing their businesses in Sweden. Ludmila Christeseva emphasized the importance of sharing her expertise and knowledge.
On the 18th of November, she hosted “Sticka, sy och fika på Artten Galleri,” followed by a Christmas Market on the 25th of November. This event provided Ukrainian women with the opportunity to share their artistic ambitions and network with Swedish professionals and cultural curators. The project gradually evolved into a series of Christmas activities called “Hantverk i Julens Anda,” allowing Ukrainian families to celebrate Christmas advents with new friends who might not have families of their own.
The final presentation has been hold in collaboration with Mäster Olofsgården in their facilities in Gamla Stan and more than 40 visitors joined the presentation and the workshop.
The project’s goal was to revisit Christmas in times of hardship, focusing on creativity and community building. It added a dimension of resilience and creative resistance to difficulties and personal, social, and political challenges.
