Creative Sri Lanka 2030 Made of Heritage, Built for Tomorrow

From traditional craftsmanship to contemporary design, Sri Lanka is building a new creative ecosystem that connects artisans, SMEs, exporters, designers and academia with global markets—turning cultural heritage into value, brands and new export opportunities.

For generations, Sri Lankan artisans have transformed clay, wood, fibre, metal, textiles and other indigenous materials into objects that reflect the island’s culture and identity. Yet much of this creative wealth has remained fragmented, small-scale and disconnected from the world’s major commercial markets.

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) is now taking forward Creative Sri Lanka 2030, an ambitious national initiative designed to transform the country’s rich craft heritage into globally competitive, commercially viable and recognisable brands.

Building on the foundations established during its earlier pilot phase, the programme is now being expanded through a stronger private-sector-led “Umbrella Model”, linking established exporters with specialised SMEs, artisans, designers, academia and other industry stakeholders.

“The ambition is no longer simply to export crafts. It is to build Sri Lankan brands that the world recognises for design, authenticity, sustainability and quality.”

The programme comes at a strategically important time. Sri Lanka’s National Export Development Plan 2026–2030 targets US$36 billion in total exports by 2030, with export diversification, value addition and stronger integration into global value chains at its core.

Creative Sri Lanka 2030 seeks to ensure that the country’s creative and craft industries become an integral part of this national export transformation.

Against this backdrop, the EDB recently launched the national initiative at its premises. Representing Sri Lanka’s local giftware, handicraft and lifestyle product sectors, the programme will be implemented over the next three years through 10 newly selected leading “Umbrella Brands.”

During the first phase, implemented with the support of the European Union and the British Council, with consultancy provided by University Arts London and The Institute for Future Creations, five Sri Lankan brands were successfully connected with international designers. The collaboration resulted in export orders from international markets, including Germany, Denmark and the United Kingdom.

Building on this success, the Government has now allocated funding to take the project forward on a continuous basis, with the participation of stakeholders including the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, the National Craft Council, the National Design Centre, the University of Moratuwa and private-sector universities.

Backed by Government support, the programme’s main objective is to enhance the global competitiveness of selected Sri Lankan creative-industry brands through design development, structured training and stronger international market linkages.

Under the current phase, the EDB plans to cluster 40–50 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as support suppliers around the 10 selected brands, while a total of 50 SMEs will be developed as second-tier manufacturers.

In addition, capacity-building, design and market-development programmes will be conducted with the participation of local and foreign experts, alongside efforts to establish stronger relationships with international buyers.

Exporters will also be given opportunities to participate in international trade fairs, including the Ambiente Gifts exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, in early 2027, creating further avenues to connect Sri Lankan products with international buyers and markets.

Delivering the welcome address at the event, EDB Chairman Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe stated that the launch of the programme marks an important step towards harnessing the full potential of Sri Lanka’s creative industry.

He noted that the creative industry is among the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy, with its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many countries continuing to expand.

Explaining the way forward for Creative Sri Lanka 2030, EDB Director of Industrial Products Ms. Manoja Dissanayake stated that Sri Lanka’s traditional craftsmanship, cultural diversity and natural resources provide a strong foundation for a wide range of creative sectors, including art, handicrafts, design, fashion, film, performing arts, heritage, architecture and cuisine.

According to United Nations estimates, creative industries can contribute to more resilient and prosperous economies, help reduce social and income inequalities and encourage innovation.

The sector represents a global economy valued at around US$2 trillion, generating close to 50 million jobs worldwide. Nearly half of these jobs are held by women, while the sector also has a younger workforce than many other industries.

Through Creative Sri Lanka 2030, the Export Development Board aims to increase export revenue from the creative industry by 10% by 2028–2029, while creating new employment opportunities across related sectors.

The ambition is therefore larger than placing traditional Sri Lankan crafts on overseas shelves. It is about creating an interconnected creative economy in which heritage becomes a source of innovation, design becomes a driver of value and local talent gains a stronger place in international markets.

Made of heritage, but built for tomorrow, Creative Sri Lanka 2030 is positioning Sri Lankan creativity not simply as a cultural asset, but as a competitive economic force.