Programs

Laying the physical foundation for the Royal Textile Academy is only one component of the FRTAB mission. Laying the foundation for a sustainable future for Bhutan’s weavers, as well as a world-wide appreciation for Bhutanese culture, is equally fundamental to our long-range goals. 

As we continue the planning for Phase IV, FRTAB continues to actively develop a global network of supporters willing to donate time and money to the advancement of the Bhutanese textile arts through dynamic programming and research.

These programs include workshops on collections, conservation, conservator training, and exhibition of rare textile artifacts; funding internships and fellowships in museum studies; and advocating for the conservation of precious textiles in Bhutan and throughout South Asia.

While many of these programs are aimed at raising a new generation of artists, we also support a broad array of public events and festivals designed to engage regional community and the international community, and to raise a worldwide awareness and appreciation of this irreplaceable heritage. 

Among the numerous programs FRTAB supports: 

• Weaving Into the Future
• National Arts Design Competition
• Smithsonian Folklife Collaboration 
• Youth Education Program
• RTA Fashion Show