Facts from the 2007 Market
The Market is extraordinary in many ways, and while this can’t be expressed fully in statistics, the numbers do tell a compelling story. Here are some details from last year’s market (2007):
Artists Participation
The Market had 335 applicants. There were 110 artists from 40 different countries across 6 continents—12 new countries were represented (not presented in 2006) including Bhutan, Chile, Colombia, Georgia, Ghana, Namibia, Spain, Russia, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, and Zambia. Thirteen women’s cooperatives from India, Afghanistan, and Venezuela also participated.
More than half of the artists were first-timers to the Market. Artist cooperatives and non-profit organizations sponsored approximately one-third of the artists. Dealers sponsored an additional quarter, and the remaining artists came on their own or were sponsored by foundations or individuals. The Market was able to fully sponsor thirty artists (covering airfare, food, and lodging) through the generosity of individual contributions and private foundations.
Attendance
17,000 people attended (a 22% increase over 2006). More than half of attendees (55%) came from outside of Santa Fe from 41 different states and 5 foreign countries. International dignitaries from South Africa, Russia, Uzbekistan, Mexico and more visited as well.
Artists’ Sales
Artists’ sales increased by 31% over the 2006 Market-- from $1.3 million to $1.7 million. The average sales per booth amounted to $15,000. Of the booths for which the Market handled sales, 73% earned more than $10,000. Artists retain 93% of their sales. Revenues earned support their livelihoods and their families and helps sustain entire communities.
Community Volunteers
A corps of over 800 dedicated volunteers helped create this event, a 10% increase over the 2006 Market. Volunteers were involved in nearly every facet of the Market, dedicating over 12,000 of hours of work towards planning, overseeing, and executing artist coordination, hospitality, marketing, events, office assistance, and Market production. The dollar value of volunteer time dedicated to the 2007 Market was over $600,000.
Economic Impact
Out-of-town visitors generated approximately $227,669 in lodger’s tax and $247,996 in gross receipts tax (GRT) from room nights alone, not counting the tax generated through other purchases such as gas, food, shopping, and other travel-related expenses. GRT from artists’ sales totaled $129,625 combined with GRT from room nights (above) totaled $377,621 paid to the State, with another $227,669 in lodger’s tax, totaling $605,291 in tax revenue. This represents a 14% increase over 2006.
