SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET
August –
Santa Fe, New MexicoMore than 1,000 of the most gifted Native American artists from across North America showcase their work annually during the largest show and sale of Native American art in the world – the Santa Fe Indian Market.
Photo: New Mexico Santa Fe Indian Market
Artists from more than 100 Federally recognized and First Nations' Tribes in North America take part in the weekend show and sale. Many of the participating artists come from families who have been attending the market for decades.
Ten categories of art in both traditional and contemporary forms are sold during the market; jewelry, pottery, sculpture, textiles, paintings, wood carving (Kachinas), bead work, baskets, and diverse art which can include drums, bows and arrows, cradle boards, and more.
Most of the artists participating in the market are accomplished, full-time professional artists which, along with the juried format of the show, guarantees the authenticity of the work seen at the market. Booths crowd the Santa Fe Plaza and adjacent streets as the artists fill the city. The one-on-one interaction between buyer and artist is an added benefit.
Of course there is more to the market than just the art. The week leading up to Indian Market weekend is filled with Native film, literature, music, fashion, and visual arts plus the Best of Show Ceremony and Luncheon and numerous events at galleries and other locations around town. This weeklong celebration of Native arts and culture is one of the summer's most colorful and entertaining times to be in Santa Fe, drawing new and experienced collectors, art lovers of all kinds, and those who simply enjoy the spectacle of so much talent gathered in one place.
Indian Market weekend is free and open to the public as are many of the outlying events around town. Other scheduled activities may have an admission charge. Making early lodging reservations is always recommendable as the city's hotels and motels tend to fill up quickly.
Today's Santa Fe Indian Market is the outgrowth of a series of remarkable people and events. One story is about the Museum of New Mexico and a group of remarkable women who formed themselves into a political action organization to establish and protect human rights for New Mexico's Indian population. It was in 1922 that the Indian Fair was created by the Museum of New Mexico as part of the Santa Fe Fiesta celebration.
The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) sponsors the Santa Fe Indian Market which is estimated to bring more than 80,000 people and over $100 million in revenues to the state and region.
For more information on the Santa Fe Indian Market visit swaia.org
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