National Crafts Council

What National Crafts Council does

The National Crafts Council (NCC) is a Sri Lankan government statutory board operating under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development. Its mandate is the promotion, preservation, and development of Sri Lanka's traditional handicraft sector. NCC serves individual artisans and craft societies across all nine provinces, providing craftsman registration, training through an extensive network of training centers (pottery, bamboo, cane, wood carving, beeralu lace, mat craft), raw material cultivation facilitation, welfare programs, exhibitions and competitions, and the annual Shilpa Abhimani National Handicrafts Competition and Presidential Awards. The council runs the National Crafts Museum (established 1985), exports-oriented product initiatives such as Crafting Ceylon, and multiple sub-brands (Lak Shilpa, Shilpa Saviya, Sipnara Shilpa Saviya, Lakshilpa.com, Shilpa Thursday).

NCC's commercial footprint is operated through owned retail showrooms in Colombo Fort (Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct), Galle Fort, Molagoda (Kegalle), Sigiriya, Wariyapola, Waragoda, and Pallekele, the Lakshilpa.com e-marketplace, Handicrafts Production and Marketing Villages in Sigiriya and Kawanthissapura, weekly Shilpa Thursday fairs at Diyatha Uyana, and weekend sales at Raja Wasa (Narahenpita) and Green Super (Kollupitiya) under MOUs with the State Trading Corporation. The technology stack is conventional: a WordPress-based public website, a basic e-commerce platform (Lakshilpa.com), and an in-progress e-Craftsmen Information System tendered in July 2025 for registration and application processing. There is no proprietary technology platform, no API offering, and no AI/ML capability referenced.

NCC is a state-funded body; it does not raise private capital and is not publicly listed. Operating revenue derives from retail sales across showrooms, the e-marketplace, and craft village outlets, supplemented by government grants channeled through the parent ministry. The primary customer segments are individual Sri Lankan handicraft artisans and organized craft societies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is hybrid, combining owned physical storefronts, e-commerce, craft production villages, and weekly fairs. NCC participates in international craft fairs such as the 38th Suraj Kund International Crafts Mela 2025 in India.

Name

National Crafts Council

Legal name

National Crafts Council

Website

https://craftscouncil.gov.lk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Crafts Council is a Sri Lankan government statutory board under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development that promotes traditional handicrafts through craftsman registration, nationwide training centers, exhibitions, the Shilpa Abhimani awards, welfare programs, and retail showrooms serving artisans and craft societies across all nine provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handicrafts Development Services

NAICS

Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (339910)

SIC

Pottery & Related Products (3260), Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

General Arts & Crafts Supplies Retail (CRALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crafts & DIY (Paper, Fiber, Wood, Resin, DIY Projects) (EDAAAGAB), Arts & Crafts Workshops (Painting, Pottery, Ceramics, Sculpture) (THAJAKAA)

Keywords

• Handicrafts development
• Artisan training programs
• Craftsman registration services
• Traditional crafts preservation
• Government cultural agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Battaramulla

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Sales Revenue from Retail Outlets: Revenue generated from multiple retail showrooms across Sri Lanka including Colombo Fort, Galle Fort, Molagoda, Pallekele, and Waragoda outlets. Also includes online sales through Lakshilpa.com e-market platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The National Crafts Council is a government statutory board that promotes and develops Sri Lanka's traditional handicrafts sector. It provides craftsman registration, training programs, exhibitions and competitions (Shilpa Abhimani), marketing facilitation, welfare support, raw material cultivation, and the National Crafts Museum. It also operates retail showrooms and the Lakshilpa.com e-marketplace to sell handicrafts produced by registered artisans.

Product overview

The National Crafts Council operates a comprehensive government handicrafts development ecosystem comprising the Shilpa Abhimani national competition, the Lakshilpa.com e-marketplace, craftsman registration services, training programs (Crafts Training Project and Master Craftsmen Training Programme), the National Crafts Museum, marketing facilitation, welfare programs, raw material cultivation support, and multiple retail outlets across Sri Lanka. The portfolio includes physical retail locations and production/marketing villages, unified by the mission to preserve traditional crafts and improve artisans' livelihoods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shilpa Abhimani: National Handicrafts Competition and Presidential Awards program organized by NCC to honor outstanding craftspeople.
• Lak Shilpa
• Shilpa Thursday
• Crafting Ceylon

Products and services

• Registration of Craftsmen Official registration system for handicraft craftspeople, enabling them to receive NCC services, training opportunities, and participate in exhibitions and competitions. Targets Sri Lankan handicraft artisans across all nine provinces.
• Crafts Training Project Training programs for unemployed youth and artisans to develop practical skills in traditional handicraft production and market-ready craftsmanship. Targets Sri Lankan youth and practicing artisans.
• Master Craftsmen Training Programme 6 to 12-month full-time training program where master craftsmen mentor apprentices in traditional handicraft techniques. Targets apprentices seeking mastery in traditional crafts.
• National Crafts Museum Museum established in 1985 that collects, preserves, and displays award-winning handicrafts and contemporary craft products. Targets general public, tourists, researchers, and cultural enthusiasts.
• Shilpa Abhimani National Handicrafts Competition and Presidential Awards Annual national handicrafts competition and presidential awards ceremony honoring Sri Lankan artisans for their craftsmanship. Targets Sri Lankan handicraft artisans competing for national recognition.
• Marketing Facilitation Support services including import of raw materials at concession rates, exhibition organization, and trade fair participation for handicraft artisans. Targets registered Sri Lankan handicraft artisans.
• Craftsmen Welfare Programme Financial assistance and welfare support for artisans engaged in traditional and modern crafts, including disaster relief. Targets registered Sri Lankan handicraft artisans.
• Raw Material Cultivation Facilitation Projects supporting cultivation of raw materials (bamboo, rattan, ebony, etc.) for handicraft production. Targets registered Sri Lankan handicraft artisans requiring raw material inputs.
• Crafts Societies Establishment Assistance in forming and restructuring crafts societies for collective artisan development. Targets organized craft groups and cooperatives.
• Handicrafts Production and Marketing Villages Craft villages such as Sigiriya and Kawanthissapura where artisans work and sell products directly to customers. Targets tourists and local buyers of authentic Sri Lankan handicrafts.
• Lakshilpa.com E-Market Online marketplace for Sri Lankan handicrafts, providing online sales platform for artisans accessible globally. Targets Sri Lankan handicraft artisans, local consumers, and international buyers.
• NCC Retail Showrooms (Lak Shilpa) Physical showroom locations including Colombo Fort (Dutch Hospital), Galle Fort (Sipnara Shilpa Saviya), Molagoda (Kegalle), Pallekele, Waragoda, and Wariyapola outlets selling handicrafts to consumers. Targets local consumers and tourists.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sathosa (State Trading Corporation)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 October 2022Jointly opened Lak Shilpa handicraft stall at Green Super in Kollupitiya on October 10, 2022. The partnership provides dedicated retail space for NCC to sell Sri Lankan handicrafts in Sathosa's commercial premises.
• State Trading (General) CorporationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 February 2022Signed MOU on February 15, 2022 for providing sales facilities for handicraftsmen every weekend at Raja Wasa supermarket premises in Narahenpita. The partnership enables craftsmen to access retail space in government-owned supermarket chain.
• Haryana Tourism Department (India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in 38th Suraj Kund International Crafts Mela 2025 held in Faridabad, Haryana, India. Four Sri Lankan artisans represented the NCC at this international craft fair which attracts over 20 countries and more than a million visitors.
• Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship DevelopmentcoreOthersParent ministry providing governmental oversight, policy direction, and funding support for NCC's operations and programs including craftsman welfare, training, and export promotion initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Handicrafts and Handlooms Export Corporation (NHEC), India: Indian government export-promotion body for handicrafts and handlooms, paralleling NCC's Crafting Ceylon export initiative. Comparable in mandate of facilitating artisan access to international markets and operating as a state-backed crafts export channel.
• Dastkar (Society for Crafts and Craftspeople), India: Indian non-profit that supports traditional artisans through training, marketing, exhibitions, and market access — a craft-focused NGO operating in the same space as NCC's welfare, training, and marketing facilitation programs across South Asia.
• Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India: Statutory government body that performs an essentially identical role in India — registering artisans, running training programs, organizing exhibitions, and promoting handicrafts domestically and internationally. Directly comparable mandate and operating model to NCC.
• World Crafts Council International: International NGO recognized by UNESCO that promotes crafts globally, runs the World Crafts Council Awards, and links national crafts bodies. NCC's participation in Suraj Kund and Suraj Mela events places it within this global network of comparable national crafts promotion organizations.

Broad incumbents

• Export Development Board of Sri Lanka (EDB Sri Lanka): Sri Lankan statutory export promotion body operating under the same government ecosystem as NCC. Overlaps with NCC on the Crafting Ceylon export mandate and shares ministerial oversight, but covers all export sectors rather than specializing in handicrafts.
• Small Industries Development Board of Sri Lanka (SIDB): Parallel Sri Lankan statutory body under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development that supports small-scale producers including artisans. Shares regulatory and welfare-support characteristics with NCC but addresses a broader SME portfolio.
• Sri Lanka Handicrafts Board (Laksala) — historical: Historical state retail body for Sri Lankan handicrafts whose training centers were absorbed by NCC in 2008. Closest domestic institutional predecessor and the only other Sri Lankan state actor in dedicated handicrafts retail and training.

Regional players

• Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA): Statutory body that promotes Sri Lanka as a destination and indirectly drives footfall to NCC's heritage-located showrooms (Galle Fort, Sigiriya, Colombo Fort). Comparable in being a government promotional body operating in the same tourism/cultural space, though focused on tourism rather than crafts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/National-Crafts-Council-NCC-605780406102368
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-crafts-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Crafts Council