A decline in traditional crafts and arts are increasingly observed in many countries. The issue of whether the government should provide financial resources to preserve these traditions or the market forces should decide their fate has garnered a significant debate. Although the market forces encourage perhaps commercial purposes only, I contend that support from the government may instill cultural appreciation and historical importance, leading to a more sustaining preservation.
The market forces in conventional crafts and arts perhaps only contribute to a commercial aspect. Arts and crafts are descended from people to people by means of selling and buying. The more demand occurs, the more products become available in the market. On the flip side, if there is less demand in those traditions, fewer items are introduced to the society. This, thus, leads to the decrease in producing conventional crafts, leading to the extinction of some categories of arts and less variations of them.
However, support from the government is a more promising solution to preserve traditional cultures. The government can underscore arts appreciation, historical and cultural importance, and strengthen the relationship among people with different generations through the activities, increasing the potential of preservation. The activities can range from events where local arts and crafts are exhibited with their history and significance to competitions where local people compete by producing traditional arts and crafts. Not only do they learn the importance of local crafts, but they also exchange their knowledge to other people with different ages as well.
In conclusion, both market forces and support from the government play an important role in preserving cultural arts and crafts. The market forces perhaps focus solely on one aspect regarding commerce. The activities and events provided by the government’s financial resources contribute to various perspectives which leads to a sustaining preservation.