Santa Fe International Folk Art Market

The International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe, established in 2004, is held annually during one weekend of July at Milner Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is one of three major summer markets in the city, alongside the Spanish and Indian Markets. The market was founded by Judith Espinar, Thomas Aageson from the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, Charlene Cerny, former director of the Museum of International Folk Art, and Charmay Allred, a philanthropist. Key partners include the State of New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and other cultural institutions. In its inaugural year, 60 artists participated, growing to 125 artists from 41 countries by 2008 and 126 from 46 nations in 2009. UNESCO supported early efforts, funding 10 artists and initiating a global training program, with three booths showcasing award-winning works in 2009. The market has emphasized collaboration with developing countries, particularly Africa, and ran an initiative through the W.K. Kellogg Intern Program to train African cultural entrepreneurs. Notable participants included arts professionals from South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. In 2009, former President Bill Clinton commissioned three artists to create prizes for the Clinton Global Citizen Awards, featuring recycled metal works by Haitian and Nigerian artists. By 2012, the market featured 156 artists from 54 countries across six continents, with new participants including Colombia, Hungary, South Sudan, South Korea, and Vanuatu. This year saw significant growth, with 58 artists representing cooperatives impacting over 36,059 artisans and positively affecting nearly 360,000 family members. Attendance reached 19,536 visitors, generating ...