The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is a results-oriented entrepreneurial nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering economic and cultural sustainability for folk artists and folk art worldwide and creating intercultural exchange opportunities that unite the peoples of the world.
As a leading international folk art organization, the Market envisions a world that celebrates and values evolving traditional art and cultures, where a dynamic global folk art market ensures a dignified, sustainable living for folk artists, who are essential to preserving cultural diversity.
Did You Know? . . .
- 94% of Market artists come from developing nations
- Almost half come from countries where the average income is less than $5 a day
- In 2012, the earnings from 156 artists and artist cooperatives impacted the lives of some 365,000 people
- Last year artists’ sales totaled $2.4 million, the average sales per Market booth were $18,200
- Artists take home 90% of their sales revenue
2011 Survey: Folk Art Market Artists Laud the Benefits
Some key areas of social impact defined from the 2011 Artist Survey are shown below:
- Overall earnings increased by more than 25% (48%)
- Working conditions for enterprises at home greatly improved (69%)
- Folk art more valued in the artists’ communities (71%)
- Helped more children go to school (64%)
- Helped improve access to medical care and doctors (40%)
Results from Artists’ Participation in the Folk Art Market
Key: The numbers in the chart represent the percentage of responses in agreement with each category out of the total surveyed responses. Click on the image to see a larger version of the graph.
© Bob Smith
Pastora Asuncion Gutierrez Reyes
Vida Nueva Cooperative, Mexico
“We thank the kindness and care you showed us and everyone who worked on every part of the organization of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market in the year 2011. I want to share how important it is for all women of La Vida Nueva cooperative to participate and live in the days of folk art market.
We learned a lot about the organization of the market, and sales systems. All the Zapotec women of the cooperative are very happy with the results of sales, because this represents a very significant income in each of our families, and some may continue their studies, others buy what is necessary for their children who are studying high school, others buy drugs for their health care and some of the profits for reinvestment of raw materials and thus continue to generate work among ourselves and among our families.
We also want to thank you for making this meeting of brothers in the world and allow us to learn about other cultures, their customs, their work, needs, dreams, heart and soul of others. We have shared this experience with the cooperative partners and we are still feeling the warmth, the joy and the whole feeling of the brethren who were in the market.
Finally, thank you very much for your support and allowing us the opportunity to show a part of our culture and work to the world.”
Rangina Hamidi
Kandahar Treasure, Afghanistan
“Kandahar is probably the worst place on earth to live as a woman and work as a woman and in a culture that is so patriarchal and so traditional, no matter how cruel the husband it, it’s always her fault. She was the bad woman to left his house or she must have done something to have invited the beating.
Our main challenge is finding markets now. The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is a great opportunity for us to bring our materials in large quantities to not only raise awareness about the beautiful art, but also sell—because the profits of these products will eventually make this a sustainable project.
This is really a world coming together to present itself to each other. The change it brought to the women’s lives has been tremendous… These women are stepping up from being and living in poverty to now living a decent working life. The Folk Art Market is also giving us an opportunity to be presented to the world.
The artwork is the women’s expression to the world about their life in Afghanistan. It’s a way of women expressing their voices wordlessly through their stitches. The women have a soul still left in their bodies in spite of all these restrictions placed on a woman in Kandahar. At the end of the day she is able to produce the most beautiful artwork that for centuries has kind of been sleeping and the Market is definitely helping us in raising that voice.”
© Judith Haden
Ramu Devraj Harijan
India
“Ramu lives in a small village in the middle of nowhere in the desert. He was earning just enough to sustain himself and his family. When I met him for the first time he had borrowed a large sum (by his standard) for a medical emergency for his daughter and was struggling to repay. A few years of working together he was able to pay back about 60% of his loan. It was at this time I found out about the Santa Fe Folk Art Market and talked to him about applying. He was very apprehensive but finally agreed to let me apply. He was not in a position to pay his fare to come and hence an application for sponsorship was made with a clear statement that if his sponsorship was not granted he would be unable to come. Fortunately he was accepted and the Market agreed to sponsor his and his translator’s (in this case me) cost.
His first Market was a huge success and he was able to repay his entire loan and still save enough money to build a new workplace, toilet and water tank in his house. Ramu saved money from his last Market for travel this year and for creating stock. This is a huge sum for him as when I first met him he was earning this much money in the entire year. For the first time he has not borrowed to create stock for the market. Ramu’s annual income is around $8,000 USD. When he came first time to the market the corresponding figure was $2,000 USD. Also this is the first time when he will be designing, pricing and costing all the products for the market himself with no help from me or anyone else.”– Himansu Dugar
© Bob Smith
Matron Mwembe
Ntengwe for Community Development, Zimbabwe
“The participation in the 2011 Folk Art Market was quite different from the previous year. In this year’s market, the artist (Matron) was able to travel with me to the Market, which made it possible for her to participate in the trainings that were organized. She also had an experience of the market itself. The artist was overwhelmed by a lot of people who flocked into her booth at all times to buy her baskets.
I think she was one of those who were the best in their sales. All the baskets that she brought to the market were all sold out. The total sales were more than $22,000. Despite that they had to pay for expenses, they remained with quite reasonable profits for the cooperative members.
The members of the cooperative were able to pay for their children fees, they bought some food especially this season where they did not harvest anything from the fields because of the poor rains. The community is depending on handouts from NGOs and well-wishers and the funds that they got from the basket sales has made a great difference in the group members and their families’ lives.
Children will also be able to continue with their education because the members of the cooperative have opened a savings bank account so that they can save some money for their children. The women also managed to save some money for the next year’s market expenses. They have conducted a workshop that was facilitated by Matron. They have learned how to manage the cooperatives funds.” – Juliana Muske on behalf of Matron Mwembe, Ntengwe for Community Development, Zimbabwe
