We look forward to the market each year and have sponsored participants. we also have had the wonderful opportunity of visiting market participants in Laos and Morocco and have learnedhow much the market has meant to them and their communities.
After moving to Santa Fe and experiencing my first Folk Art Market, I was hooked forever. For the past few years I have taken on the responsibility of finding interpreters to work with the artists. The generosity of spirit of the interpreters is so heartwarming. Many travel in from all over the country to be interpreters during the training sessions, the panel discussions at the Folk Art Museum, and during the Market itself. They help the artists connect with the public. My favorite story from this year's Market is Kitty, an 81 year old French interpreter from North Carolina who is herself a potter. She spent all three days working with Habibou from Burkina Faso, becoming fast friends. As she wrote, "Serving as an interpreter was a wonderful experience and having lived in Habibou's country made it really special. Turns out that he would have been 6 years old when I was there. Actually the same age of our son when we lived there. Habibou called me "Maman" which was very sweet. The whole time I was running on adrenaline and was full of energy, happy, and not tired although I hadn't had much sleep. Being surrounded with beautiful art and artists from around the world was amazing. I felt like a kid in a candy shop! (Being 81, that's a great feeling to have again!).
Coming on board 4 years ago by chance as a volunteer on the Transportation Team, we have been involved ever since and plan to continue. The Folk Art Market Mission is why we return each year which states in part 'helping to empower women' and find Market humbling and exciting at the same time as we can, in some small way, help to better the lives & villages of folk artists around the globe.
j&bcasper
This nonprofit puts on an incredible market each year that manages to offer something for everyone involved. Above all, the Market benefits the artists/artisans bringing their work and giving them a wider audience to appreciate what they have made in the preceding year. Volunteers receive a memorable experience helping the artists in their booths to display and sell their work. Visitors are treated to an array of arts and crafts that astonishes, and they are given the opportunity to acquire art forms that they may never have seen before.. There is even a special day when kids can get "passports" and go around the market gathering the flags of each country represented. The International Folk Art Alliance helps create a community that spans the globe.
I have been a fan of this organization for four years and continue to be impressed with the quality of the people involved. They have a national group of advisors who are committed to helping empower the artisans who apply to the market. It is truly an inspiring place!
The IFAA is an organization with a compelling mission that is also great fun. We attended the market as customers of the many skillful international artists in 2012 and were so impressed that we volunteered to help out in 2013 and be team co-chairs in 2014. The hook for us is the great good that the alliance does in encouraging and supporting artists and their communities, its impact on fostering global relationships and the just plain fun of shopping and interacting with the artists. If you haven't been to the market, come on down to Santa Fe in July 2015!
I love this organization. It is an extremely satisfying experience to volunteer during the Folk Art Market weekend in Santa Fe in July. Folk artists from around the globe interacting with each other and with the people from all over the US who come to see their beautiful work. As a volunteer I know I am valued by the organization itself. The staff are very verbally appreciative of all that volunteers contribute. It is one of the highlights of living in Santa Fe to be able to participate in such a wonderful endeavor.
My husband and I have always loved folk art. When we visited the International Folk Art Market-Santa Fe for the first time 6 years ago, I actually got choked up seeing the long lines of people who also appreciate the wonderful folk art that is sold at the Market. We resolved to return to volunteer the next summer, and, amazingly, we did. We were impressed with how well the Market is run, how well the artists are respected, and how many dedicated volunteers it takes to make this incredible event happen. By the fourth year of volunteering, we found ourselves looking at houses in Santa Fe and moved here full time the next spring. We have had a leadership chair position for the last two years with a lot of responsibility. The Market staff is so dedicated, and as a volunteer I always feel valued and appreciated. It is a wonderful feeling to be a part of such an incredible endeavor where artists are able to sell their beautiful wares and return to their homes with the funds to improve their lives. Each artist's story is a beautiful story of devotion to their culture and family.
For the last six years I've volunteered at the International Folk Art Market--Santa Fe. The opportunity to assist artisans who have the backing of such a well-run organization keeps me coming back yearly. The Market cares deeply about the artisans and that shows in its high support for them emotionally, physically, and financially.
For six years my son and I have volunteered at the Market, as waterboys giving cool refreshment to attendees. He was just 10 when we started, and it's been a great experience for him. Although we play a tiny part in the weekend, we are always treated with professionalism by the organization's staff, even as the event increased exponentially in scope. It's a wonderful event and my son and I are very proud to be a part of it.
I feel so blessed to be a part of this organization that is so dedicated to empowering folk artists all over the world. By creating this venue, the Market has not only given these artists an opportunity to receive the recognition they deserve and income to support their families and communities, but it has also given Market attendees, staff and volunteers the opportunity to open their eyes and hearts to the world.
For ten years I have volunteered with this wonderful organization that really does change lives. After just the first year we learned something so stunning, so amazing….that if we could put just a small amount of earned money into the hands of mothers, we provided a huge life line of support not just for her, but for her daughters, who could now be sent to school and avoid the nightmare of pre-teen or early teen marriage. Young sons would be sent to school instead straight to the fields or factories. As an artist returning home with money in her hands, the mother established a position of respect in the family and in the village as an income earner. That respect helped to keep her safe within the marriage. All this benefit for the woman, her sons, her daughters and her village just by taking the brave step to apply for a booth at an annual art sale thousands of miles away in Santa Fe, New Mexico. What a miracle!
What an exciting experience to be a part of an extraordinary organization that brings together people from all over the world, provides many of these people with an essential portion of their annual earnings as well as with a venue to share their culture with others and provides the volunteers with the satisfaction of knowing that they are contributing in a significant way to making this all happen. The International Folk Art Market-Santa Fe is a swirl of colors, languages, music - a rich and exciting experience for all involved.
What a wonderful experience to hear the stories of how the $ has them and there villages. heart warming. The market is extremely colorful, well organized and very friendly.. it fosters understanding between people and makes a huge impact on all
The Market is the highlight of the year in Santa Fe. Volunteering is extremely rewarding not to mention a lot of fun. It feels good to be a part of an organization that does so much good in the world for so many people.
I have attended the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market every year since its inception. It gets better every year. It is so interesting to be able to meet artists from all over the world. Being able to bring people here supports the work of artists and allows for intercultural exchange.
I attended IFAM in Santa Fe almost every year with feel of joy and was looking forward for the incredibly colorful event every time to be amazed and amused by the endless creativity and skills of Folk Artists from many countries. In 2010 I decided to offer myself to be a volunteer as a translator (I speak Russian and Hungarian languages). It was simple to register online and close to the event I was invited for an orientation. i did not mind to drive from Albuquerque (altogether 6 times ) to join the crowd of volunteers to make the visit of participating artisans (many of them for the first time in the US) more comfortable. I was assigned to 2 young ladies from Kyrgyzstan along with 4 other Russian-speaking volunteers - i am sure we did our best in helping the Artists to communicate with the buyers during the 3 days of busy market. The Artists were very happy with the sales and expressed their hopes to be able to participate next year as well.
I had one of the best and most educating experience of my life. The staff was competent, creative, knowledgable and flexabile. You could not ask for much more. It is a truly eye opening experience to Americans with little idea of life or conditions
I have been involved with the Folk Art Market (IFAM) since the beginning, and just love it. At first, when it was starting out, it was exhilarating--all hands on deck, let's make this happen. It's still exciting as it's matured and our respective roles have solidified. I love the mission of creating sustainability one artist at a time; I love the experience of the market--so many people from so many countries--very vibrant. The event is very well organized and continues to improve year after year
I love this market for many reasons the most important being that many of these artists from impoverished villages and cities earn enough money to support themselves and their community. I have heard stories of market participants building fresh water systems for their village, or starting schools. The market is an invaluable resource for many many people. I also love that the market brings artisans from around the world and that market goers are able to learn about different cultures. This market has a wonderful 'passport' game for visiting children who have their 'passport' stamped by an artisan from each country - just one of many educational programs. I also love that the market provides an impetus for the artisans to continue producing their local crafts - so that ancient handcrafts will not be lost. This SF International Folk Art Market is truly a great nonprofit!
The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is one of the most exciting events I've ever participated in or attended. I've been an active volunteer ever since attending the first Market (6 out of 7) because I wanted to be a part of something that literally helps people all over the world in the most direct way possible. The artists from many countries bring their beautiful art work, sell it to people from all over the US and go home with money they can use to put their children through school and buy supplies to create more art. The organization is extemely well-organized with minimal paid staff. Over 1600 people volunteer over the course of one week. It is the most "win-win" event that could exist for everyone involved.
For 5 years I have worked with indigenous artist cooperatives from Saraguro Ecuador. The women make and sell wonderful seed bead necklaces. It has been a joy to see the growth in sales each year and to hear stories about how the money earned has helped families and villages. The Santa Fe Folk Art Market is the first place these artists have had an opportunity to sell on a large scale. The artists who attended learned how to sell, export, price goods and much more from the market staff.
This year for the first time we will see the Mega Cooperative from Saraguro. It is an organization of 5 coops and the profits will be split between all of them. They hope to be able to come to the market every year. There is nothing to compare with the Santa Fe Folk Art Market anywhere.
I have attended the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market (SFIFAM) every year since 2006 serving as translator for the bead artists who come from Saraguro Ecuador. SFIFAM has been an incredible experience for me and especially for these indigenous women. Not only do they sell more beadwork there in one weekend than they do in an entire year in Ecuador, but the market has provided courses to the artists which give excellent training in sales techniques, pricing, and marketing. To date five different bead artists have come from Saraguro to the SFIFAM, and they take their knowledge home with them. In addition, the monies earned have improved the quality of life for ca. 100 families, the members of the cooperatives. This money has been used for microloans administered by the cooperatives as well as many other family expenses.
I volunteered for the first time with the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market in July, 2010, as part of their Artist Training Program.
The first thing I noticed was the commitment and level of dedication of their volunteers, some who have been working with the organization since the inaugural market in 2004.
Working with the staff, volunteers, and artists in the week prior to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market opening, I quickly realized what an invaluable service the Market provides to the artists they work with. Not only does the Market provide artists, including women's cooperatives, from developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Central Asia, Eurasia, and the Middle East, an opportunity to sell their work and retain 90% of their sales, they also provide training to new artists at the Market in areas such as marketing, pricing, and display techniques.
The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market truly lives up to its vision and mission statement of "fostering economic and cultural sustainability for folk artists and folk art worldwide and creating intercultural exchange opportunities that unite the peoples of the world".