Designing with, Not for: Reimagining Participatory Design with Rural, Indigenous Artisans

Artisanal production is crucial in sustaining the socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental fabric of rural and Indigenous communities, supporting the livelihoods, identity, and collective memory of artisan communities. However, globalization plus market pressures marginalize these traditions, prioritizing external consumer expectations over cultural integrity. While designers have sought to support artisans through collaborative efforts, such initiatives risk replicating Western-centric frameworks that undermine local knowledge and reinforce power asymmetries. This paper examines how equal collaboration, rooted in trust and flexibility, offers participatory engagement while promoting equitable partnerships from a designer-activist perspective. Drawing on the ARTESANICO laboratory, an organic, practice-led design initiative in Colombia and Ecuador, the study highlights the importance of bridging knowledge systems and rethinking participatory methods while resisting Western-centric frameworks that risk recolonizing craft production. The findings highlight how reframing design as a reciprocal and activist practice can support artisans' agency, decolonize knowledge exchange, and contribute to sustainable, community-driven development.