Started in 2004, the annual Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is held during one weekend of July on Milner Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico.[1] The largest folk art market in the world, the market’s mission 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." The Folk Art Market is one of three summer markets in Santa Fe; Santa Fe also hosts the Spanish Market and the Indian Market.[2]
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In July 2009, the sixth year of the Market, 123 artists (juried from 400 applications) represented 46 different countries[3]. Of the artists, 38 were from cooperatives that represent nearly 16,000 artisans in their homelands—and 160,000 family members. 23,000 visitors attended, the highest to date and a 14.6% increase over the previous year. Sales fell 3.7% from 2008 to $1.9 million, averaging $15,000 per booth[4]. Artists retain 90% of total sales from their booth[5].
The Market was founded by businesswoman Judith Espinar, together with Thomas Aageson, executive director of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and former executive director of Aid to Artisans; the current Market executive director, Charlene Cerny, (the current executive director), formerly director of the Museum of International Folk Artin Santa Fe, and Charmay Allred, a community philanthropist. The State of New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, the Museum of International Folk Art, and the Museum of New Mexico Foundation are the primary strategic partners.[6]. In its inaugural year, the market hosted sixty participating folk artists. By 2008, the number of artists grew to 125 artists from 41 different countries and in 2009, 126 artists from 46 nations.[7],[8]
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) was an early sponsor, providing funding for ten artists, followed by an artist-training program in 22 countries. UNESCO has given its Award of Excellence to several products beginning in 2007. In 2009, three booths featured UNESCO award-winning work <Pollon, Zelie: "A Mark of Quality: UNESCO's Award of Excellence Showcases the Best in Handicrafts." Market News. 2008. 22</ref>. In 2008, 97% of the market artists were from developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
The market supports an initiative to train cultural entrepreneurs in Africa through the W.K. Kellogg Intern Program. The program funds four arts professionals from Africa, to prepare the interns to develop folk art markets in their home countries. In 2008, the arts professionals in this program are: Mahaliah Kowa, former Project Coordinator of the Harambe Afrika! Festival in Johannesburg; Chila Smith Lino, Marketing Director of the non-profit Nacional de Artesanato in Mozambique; Nomvula Moshoai-Cook, Chairperson for the Mpumulanga Traditional Arts Festival in South Africa; and Jane Parsons, Crafts Consultant for the Harare International Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe[9].
Former President Bill Clinton has commissioned three market artists to create the prizes that will be presented in September, 2009 to the winners of the Clinton Global Citizen Awards—which honor individuals and organizations for their philanthropic contributions to global welfare. The three artists, Serge Jolimeau and Michee Remy of Haiti and Toyin Folorunso of Nigeria, all work with recycled metals[10].