User talk:Folkartmarket/Santa Fe International Folk Art Market

I AM STILL WORKING ON THIS DOCUMENT —Preceding unsigned comment added by Folkartmarket (talk • contribs) 20:10, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is to foster economic and cultural sustainability for folk artists and folk art worldwide and to create intercultural exchange opportunities that unite the peoples of the world.

HISTORY
The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market began in 2004 when a group of dedicated community members banded together to form the Market Committee. The Market co-founders were Judith Espinar and Thomas Aageson, the then-Director of Aid to Artisans and now Executive Director of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation. The current Market Executive Director, Charlene Cerny, Director Emerita of the Museum of International Folk Art, began her connection to the Market as Committee Chair. These individuals had a vision to bring a handful of living masters of folk art to Santa Fe to share with a small audience of collectors and community members. The first Market exceeded their expectations; attendance had been anticipated to be 3,000 instead more than 12,000 showed up for that first weekend. The Market has grown from 60 artists to more than 110 from 40 different countries, with more than 17,000 attending the July 2007 Market.

ARTIST SELECTION AND IMPACT
Artists undergo a rigorous juried application process. The committee is composed of folk art collectors and experts in the field of craft and folk art. Artists are accepted based on standards of authenticity, quality of product, aesthetics, and technical skill. This committee is also responsible for visiting each booth to verify that the quality of work brought to the Market is consistent with that submitted in the application.

Many of the Market artists are from developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Central Asia, and the Middle East, where they confront daunting political, social, and environmental conditions. Some market participants also include women’s cooperatives and humanitarian organizations whose work supports improving economic conditions and the quality of life for many – sometimes hundreds – of folk artists in their home communities. The impact of the Market on the artists’ home communities is considerable. In many cases, artists use earnings for food, clothing, healthcare, education, and as an investment in their growing business enterprises.

BUILDING ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY FOR FOLK ARTISTS
The fundamental reason the Market exists and was developed is to build economic sustainability for folk artists. Most of the money artists earn serves as a direct benefit to the artists and their families, and helps sustain their communities. The Market only takes 3% from the artists’ profits to cover credit card fees and services.

In 2007 UNESCO continued to be an important partner of the Market. UNESCO’s Division of Cultural Expressions and Creative Industries provided a $10,000 grant to present a Trade Buyers Showcase. This program puts folk artists in contact with wholesale buyers, providing contacts for artists that helps sustain their income year-round. An on-line catalogue for the Trade Buyers Showcase was developed to enable artists to network more easily with each other and with trade buyers.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation made a three-year grant award in 2007 of $990,000. This grant provides support for three distinct areas within the Market: the W.K. Kellogg Training Program, the W.K. Kellogg Intern Program, and Economic and Organizational Stability for the Folk Art Market. The Training Program brings artists together two days prior to the Market to learn the marketing skills they need to promote their work in international markets and build sustainable incomes for themselves in their home countries. Artists participating in these workshops learn about pricing, packaging, shipping and invoicing for export, working with importing partners, and displaying their art. The Intern Program will train four future leaders of Southern Africa to produce markets in their home countries. The organizational stability portion provided funds to help strengthen and improve the Market’s organizational structure, development program, and earned income sources.

PARTNERS
The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is presented in partnership with:

The State of New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

The Museum of International Folk Art