Dhaka Makers’ Week held to empower the creative community of Dhaka

In a city as vibrant and culturally diverse as Dhaka, the abundance of artistic talent and creativity often goes unnoticed, lacking a platform to showcase its true potential. Recognizing this untapped wealth, a group of passionate creatives embarked on a mission to curate an extraordinary event, unlike anything seen before: Dhaka Makers, a first-of-its kind fair that brought together artists, sculptors, chefs, and musicians under one roof.

The inaugural edition of Dhaka Makers' Week, presented by HSBC, commenced on Saturday, 24th June 2023 at Aloki, a community space located in Tejgaon. The initiative was taken by a team of 11 creatives - Fahd Sattar, Istela Imam, Maruful Hoque, Fairose Yasmin, Maleena Gomez, Umaila Akhter, Zafir Huq, Tahsin N. Choudhury, Mahenaz Chowdhury, Taiara Farhana Tareque and Mariha Q. Chowdhury. The inauguration ceremony introduced all team members, which was followed by speeches made by their esteemed guests, Anusheh Anadil and Durjoy Rahman, and a special performance by Bengal Parampara Sangeetalay. The festival concluded its four-day run on 27th June 2023.

The idea behind Dhaka Makers' Week was to empower the creative community of Dhaka through an immersive arts and crafts festival. This unique event aimed to offer artists-turned-entrepreneurs a chance to establish their brands and enhance their visibility over the course of its four-day run. By providing a dedicated space for these talented individuals to exhibit their creations, the festival aimed to catalyze their entrepreneurial journey, enabling them to transform their artistic endeavors into sustainable businesses.

From the very first day, Dhaka Makers' Week emerged as an unparalleled and joyous celebration of the arts, with over a hundred different artists, craftsmen, musicians, and food vendors. The event reverberated with a palpable energy, as the talents of Dhaka's creative community were put on dazzling display. The line-up of makers included artists, musicians and creators who displayed works of art, animations, illustrations, photography, sculpture, ceramics, pottery, metal craft, jewelry, fashion apparel, embroidery, homeware, terrariums, wood craft, musical performances, and so on. Interactive workshops were conducted by professionals that allowed visitors to gain hands-on experience in various forms of art, such as stop-motion animation, puppet making, cyanotype printing, terrarium building, block printing, jewelry making, culinary arts, and yoga amongst others. An exhibition titled  "Artscapes: Expressions of the City" was curated by Taiara Farhana Tareque, Shehzad Munim and Raiyaan Mahbub, where several artists had exhibited their artwork, ranging from paintings, sculptures and scrolls, to augmented reality and photography. The festival also highlighted the significance of locally produced goods. The food zone included up-and-coming vendors that are environmentally conscious, and a "Farmer's Market" with fresh produce straight from the farms, homemade condiments, and other organic goods. Furthermore, festival-goers were able to unwind to music in the evenings, of independent artists and bands such as–  Kanna Dey The Destroyer, Ankan Kumar, Darkling, Kaaktaal and Hatirpool Sessions.

The vision behind Dhaka Makers' Week was to create an inclusive space for such "Makers" and enable them to showcase their work, sell their products, and connect with the community. Over 10,000 registered visitors from all demographics attended Maker's Week, with many dropping by more than once. The workshops and musical performances were completely sold out, and most facilitators and performers had to increase capacity in order to meet the demand for tickets. Visitors flooded social media with content from the event, thereby raising visibility for the makers and bringing in an influx of enthusiastic crowds all four days.