Securing a Livelihood for Artisans in India
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Kakuben Jivan Ranmal, an embroidery artist from the town of Patan, India, will be making her first appearance at the Market this year.
Together with two other embroidery artisans from India, she will be representing the group known as SEWA Trade Facilitation Center (STFC) – an arm of SEWA – the Self Employed Women’s Association.
The Center was formed in 2003 by more than 15,000 women artisans from the desert region of Gujarat, in western India. STFC aims to empower poor women financially, helping them to create livelihoods for themselves and their families by selling their traditional embroidery.
The vision of STFC is to ensure that craftswomen in the informal sector have socio-economic security and full employment, by building a grassroots’ business enterprise of the artisans.
Before joining the STFC, Ms. Ranmal had been forced to leave her nine-month-old child with relatives while she searched for low-paying, menial jobs far from home. Now she and the other artisans of the STFC work from their homes and are shareholders (not just suppliers) in the organization.
Currently STFC has 3500 artisan shareholders in 80 villages across 3 Districts in Gujarat.
Reema Nanavaty, Director of Economic and Rural Development for SEWA says,
“It is indeed a great opportunity and an honour to be a part of the International Folk Market 2010. As the world at large is confronting two major crises (1) the economic crises and (2) the climate crises, the International Folk Market and SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre are exploring ways to access newer markets, yet preserving the rich cultural heritage, the traditional skills, and the local environment.”
You can learn more about SEWA here: http://sewa.org/ . Meet Kakuben and see the work of the many artist of the Self Employed Women’s Association at the Market in July
You may sponsor this first-time artist to come to the 2010 Market.
Two Cuban firsts for the Market - Music and Art
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Prestigious Cuban band to play their first US shows at the Market, and Cuban art to be sold at the market for the first time
TradiSon, a respected five-piece band from Cuba will play their first US shows at the 2010 Folk Art Market, which will also for the first time offer work by Cuban artists for sale.
Both developments came from a visit to Cuba last December by a Folk Art Market team that comprised the Market’s Creative Director Judith Espinar, Market Executive Director Charlene Cerny and Santa Fe potter (and Market Board Member) Peggy Gaustad. Invited by the Cuban Ministry of Culture, who, along with the World Craft’s Council and UNESCO, were presenting an international crafts market known as FIART, the Market team explained the Market’s mission and were introduced to Cuban musicians and artists.
TradiSon is the house band at the La Bodeguita del Medio restaurant in Havana, famous for its mojitos and its storied clientele, including Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Neruda.
Volunteers - the Lifeblood of the Market
Thursday, April 01, 2010
The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market would be nothing without the artists who come from all over the world, and the Market employees and handful of volunteers who work year-round to put it all together. But when it comes to the weekend in July itself, it’s the dedicated group of over 1500 volunteers who really shine.
Volunteers range in ages from 17 - 80 (and this year there’s a new program for younger volunteers aged 14-16), and they perform a wide range of tasks from meeting artists at the airport, working as a cashier or an artist’s assistant, helping with bus transportation or recycling or decorating the site. You can learn more about the volunteer opportunities here: Volunteer Opportunities.
So why do people do it? Prudy Krieger, the Chair of Volunteers says, “Volunteering is a great deal of fun, the atmosphere is very upbeat, and it’s a great cause.”
