TIBETAN PEOPLES - Artists Support to Attend Santa Fe Int'l Art Festival

INTI RAYMI FUND SPONSORS TIBETAN ARTISTS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE 2013 SANTE FE INTERNATIONAL FOLK ART FESTIVAL

The Inti Raymi Fund helped support a group of approximately 175 Tibetan artists to sustain their culture and support themselves through the sales of their traditional handcrafted products. Our efforts sponsored their attendance and representation at this annual Cultural & Artistic Festival held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.

WHY INTI RAYMI FUND SUPPORTED THIS PROGRAM

During this three day festival, roughly 120 selected artists display their folk art from approximately 60 countries. The attendance from folk art collectors and retailers is usually around 20,000 during this three-day event. At this time, vendors arrive with the entire community’s art, which they created during the immediate months or year preceding this event. The annual sales of this event alone can be sufficient to sustain their entire community for a year.  In addition to the direct sales at this event, it is a invaluable opportunity for these artisans to gain insight and knowledge regarding wholesale and retail trade during training seminars held during the week preceding the market sales days. Lastly, due to direct exposure, these communities of artisans have a valuable opportunity to connect with many retail shop owners who come to the festival to establish wholesale/retail relations abroad. This event promotes a unique cultural experience for all that come.

HOW INTI RAYMI FUND HELPED

The Inti Raymi Fund supported these artisans and their communities by financing the following:

– Booth fees

– Training seminars

– Product shipment

– Airfares, lodging, meals etc. of the participating artists

– In addition, Inti Raymi donated funds sufficient to provide the individual artists with a permanent line of credit ($15,000). This line will be drawn upon for the purchase of raw materials required to create the upcoming years’ art. This community artisans’ line of credit allows them to build up more inventory in preparation for the following year’s festival and the wholesale trade towards which they are building. Help preserve and support the diversity of cultures around the globe by attending the Santa Fe Folk Art Market and purchase these special hand made treasures.

SANTE FE FOLK ART FESTIVAL

Single image below of Tibetan women standing with dolls by others