International Folk Art Market--Celebrating 10 Years of Bringing the World Together

By Jasmine McBeath

From the moment I learned about the International Folk Art Market, I knew I had to visit the one-of-a-kind fair that empowers artisans and sustains traditions from across the globe. 

I got my chance the weekend before last, and even the rain couldn't dampen my spirits. The market seemed endless as we visited hundreds of vendors from sixty different countries and were serenaded by a Latin folk fusion band. I knew I had to buy something; with 90% of sales going directly to the artists, the market profits help sustain entire communities. In 2012, an average booth made $18, 253. That's more than ten times what artists might make in a year in their home countries.

Meeting artists in person and seeing their crafts was inspiring. A painter from Cuba saw us eyeing her "Gallo Soñador," a rooster standing proudly in front of a bright cityscape. She explained that their artists paint like children, with open minds. If they feel the sky is yellow, then it is so and no one tells them differently.  She said this to us in Spanish, not pausing to ask if we understood. I translated for my friends later, but even in the moment everyone understood her passion. I couldn't help but admire her confidence. She was like the colors she described: she didn't need to change anything to fit, and she didn't let anyone tell her differently. We went back at the end of the day to see the rooster again, but someone had already bought the painting.

My biggest purchase was at Nusulah's stand, showcasing raffia and banana stalk baskets from Uganda. They were beautiful, though what drew me in was their straw-like scent. I picked one up and remembered the baskets that decorated our kitchen counters when I was a child. My grandparents gave them to us when they returned from their Peace Corps stay in Kenya, and I used to smell the raffia every time I took an apple from our fruit bowl. Childhood memories aside, I was happy to support Uganda Crafts 2000. The fair trade retailer creates jobs for widows, orphans, and people with disabilities; preserves artistic traditions; and fosters environmental and economic sustainability.

As impressive as it is, Uganda Crafts 2000 is not alone in its compelling background and mission. The IFAM is full of success stories, strengthening artisan cooperatives in Brazil, creating livelihoods for women in rural Indian, fostering opportunities for girls in Pakistan, and changing the future for children in Madagascar.

Below is an especially moving piece illustrating how the market changed the lives of silk weavers and their community in Sandrandahy, Madagascar:

The stories go on and on, and I wish we could have spoken with everyone. As we were leaving, and a poster caught my eye. It boldly announced, "It's not a market, it's a miracle."  As Oxfam's well aware, empowering people to influence decisions that affect them and improve their lives really does cause wondrous changes. I thought of the artists I'd met on the way home as I held Nusulah's basket in my lap and imagined the dreaming rooster riding in someone else's car.