New Mexico’s Market for Traditional Art

From beaded necklaces and carved wooden boxes to handwoven hammocks and flat weave carpets, the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market has the world’s best folk art.

Every summer, more than 190 folk artists from more than 60 countries transform Museum Hill in Santa Fe, New Mexico, into the world’s largest folk art market. Known as the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, this unique festival gives attendees the opportunity to shop for handmade items from around the world while taking in performances and sampling exotic food.

The artists — hailing from the tiniest villages to the busiest cities — bring with them the finest examples of traditional folk art. Attendees can purchase anything from baskets and beadwork to ceramics and sculptures, and the goods range from highly affordable to museum quality. This year’s festival takes places July 12–14.

Since the festival began in 2004, 650 artists have generated more than $16 million in sales — and have taken home 90 percent of that revenue. The money these artists make at the market affords them the financial ability to improve both their lives and their community. Past artists, for example, have gone home to build schools, houses, and wells for clean drinking water.