User:Vande361/Southwest Indian Art Fair

The Southwest Indian Art Fair is held annually on the third weekend in February in Tucson, AZ at the University of Arizona, and is organized by the Arizona State Museum. Invited artists represent the Native peoples of the American Southwest. In 2011, the fair hosted 200 Native artists, and over 6000 people attended. Average combined artist revenues are calculated to be $1.25 million per year.

History
In 1993 the Arizona State Museum sponsored a fair which represented Native American potters from the Southwest. In 1994 the fair was expanded to include all of the Southwest Native American material cultures to better reflect the diversity of crafts found within these cultural groups, and it was then that it changed its name to the Southwest Indian Art Fair. 2011 was the fair's 18th year.

Artist Selection
Artist applications are reviewed yearly to check for authenticity of craft, materials, and cultural content. As stated in SWIAF’s artist application, “The Arizona State Museum subscribes to the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (1990). All work must be Indian made and is subject to evaluation by the SWIAF Standards Committee representatives.” All artist are required to provide a copy of their Certificate of Indian Birth or Tribal Enrolment Card.

Featured Artists
Each year, a featured artist is chosen to have their work represent the fair in print and in media. In order for an artist to be considered as a featured artist they must have been a previous year’s award of excellence winning artist. Artists are nominated by ASM staff and faculty, and are chosen by the SWIAF Chair.

Previous featured artists include:
 * 2011 – Laura Fragua Cota
 * 2010 – Charlene Laughing
 * 2009 – Julius Keyonnie
 * 2008 – Vino Leon Manuel
 * 2007 – Upton Ethelbah, Jr.
 * 2006 – Carol Chiago Lujan
 * 2005 – Lawrence LeAllen Acadiz
 * 2004 – Michelle Tsosie Sisneros

In conjunction with the Southwest Indian Art Fair, a juried competition is hosted by the Arizona State Museum. Award sponsorship is solicited from the community to fund all awards. Awards are given in all of the different artistic mediums represented at the fair.

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