IFAA Impact Report 2015

Impact Report | 2015 It’s more than Folk Art. It’s the Future.

INTERNATIONAL FOLK ART ALLIANCE MISSION AND VISION The mission of the International Folk Art Alliance is to celebrate and preserve living folk art traditions and create economic opportunities for and with folk artists worldwide. The International Folk Art Alliance envisions a world that values the dignity and humanity of the handmade, honors timeless cultural traditions, and supports the work of folk artists serving as entrepreneurs and catalysts for positive social change.

Dear Friends, The results are in! The 12th Annual International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe lived up to its reputation as the #1 art festival in the country and a top 20 must-see event globally! I lost count of the number of times “Amazing!” was used to describe the Market. Equally amazing are the artists’ stories of leveraging the economic value and cultural beauty of their folk art to create social value that positively impacts their communities.

Stories of positive social change—envisioned by, and the result of, artist-entrepreneurs first empowered by the Market, now serving as catalysts around the world—make a clear case for why the International Folk Art Alliance truly matters. As you read through our Impact Report | 2015 you will get a feel for the financial impact this opportunity has on the lives of the artists’ that participate in the Market. However, it is the stories of these talented and remarkable individuals that truly inspires us at the International Folk Art Alliance, and brings visitors to the Market and Santa Fe each year.

Take Meghuben Rabari of India who represented over 1,200 Qasab-Kutch Crafstwomen from the states of Gujarat and Kutch. According to her interpreter, Punit Soni, Rabari said of the Market, “Communication and livelihood options are not that great for the 11 ethnic communities and 62 villages in the most interior parts of Kutch,” adding that the Market helps her community revive a 400-year-old craft that otherwise would be, “...lost in the histories. The respect for the craft is the most incredible thing.”

Thank you for being a part of what makes the International Folk Art Alliance so special; our mission to celebrate and preserve living folk art traditions and create economic opportunities for and with folk artists worldwide.

With Warm Regards, Jeff Jeff Snell, Ph.D. CEO International Folk Art Alliance

International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe

MARKET HIGHLIGHTS IFAA’s flagship program is the largest event of its kind in the world—positioning Santa Fe as a global leader in cultural tourism, and attracting thousands of visitors to the region.

International, national, and local visitors to the market totaled 18,653.

The Market brought together over 173 folk artists from 57 countries to sustain their traditions and empower communities worldwide.

Artists at the 2015 Market sold $2.9 million in goods.

Artists took home 90% of their sales, averaging over $20,000 per booth.

Sales benefited over 25,690 artists worldwide, positively impacting the lives of over 265,000 extended family members.

Over 2,000 volunteers gave valuable time and resources to make the Market happen.

USA Today readers voted the Market | Santa Fe #1 arts festival in the country.

American Express Essentials referenced the Market | Santa Fe as “a top-20 must see event” in the world.

VISITORS AND OVERALL ECONOMIC IMPACT Estimated total visitor spending outside the Market was $9.1 million, approximately $2,000 per party. This was part of an $11.3 million total economic impact .

IFAA paid $240,031 in gross receipts tax, collected from artists’ sales, directly to the State of New Mexico.

“

It inspires me to kee which is preserving of doing the yarn pa sharing the beautifu the oral history that ~ Rafael Cilau Valadez Yarn Painter, Mexico

Of all visitors 64% were from outside of Santa Fe and of those 39.1% came from outside New Mexico, representing 37 states; 42.4% were full-time Santa Fe residents.

VISITOR MOTIVATION & PROFILE Two-thirds of visitors cited “to see or buy art” or “to support artists with my purchase” as their main reason for attending the Market.

Over 90% of visitors indicated the Market was either the main reason or one of the main reasons for their trip to Santa Fe.

$9.1 million revenue

$11.3 million economic impact

ep on this path the tradition aintings and ul heritage and we come from.

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BENEFITS TO SANTA FE AND THE REGIONAL COMMUNITY The free community event at St. John’s College Music on the HillTM gathered an estimated 2,900 people for a celebration featuring the artist procession, international music, and children’s art activities. v

Market Week activities, in collaboration with the Museum of International Folk Art, attracted thousands of children and adults.

The Market provided 1,000 complimentary tickets to families and youth groups from select summer youth programs.

Over 500 children participated in the Children’s Passport Project at the Market and interacted with artists from around the globe.

$240,031 in gross receipts tax

Outreach to Northern New Mexican and Albuquerque refugee communities involved over 300 additional children and youth.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION The Market was featured in over 2.5 million print, online and broadcast stories with billions of impressions, 100 interviews, 20+ national stories including the Associated Press, USA Today, Huffington Post, and Wired.

Syndicated stories to over 67,900 outlets, including Yahoo.com, MSN Travel, Washington Post, the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal.

INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION The Market hosted international dignitaries and visiting delegations from China, Haiti, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa, as well as representatives from the International Trade Center Ethical Fashion Initiative, U.S. Department of State and over 50 U.S. based organizations.

EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS International relationships are vital to the health of the global community. A small group of visionaries in Santa Fe resolved to make a difference by connecting people from around the world through folk art made by hand by global citizens. The result was the inaugural International Folk Art Market in 2003 that brought people together in amazing ways while also helping to revitalize folk art traditions that were in danger of disappearing.

IFAA has helped hundreds of artists make the incredible journey to Santa Fe to earn resources to overcome the challenges they face: geography, resources, technology, and political instability. The global marketplace is not an easy world to enter; IFAA provides the portal for these individuals to gain access.

The Market is a gathering place for the exchange of arts, ideas, and cultures. It supports the work of folk artists serving as entrepreneurs and catalysts for positive social change.

The array of programs IFAA offers is significant and addresses the needs of the artists and as well as creating platforms for engagement within our shared communities.

IFAA EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT These programs encompass eight distinct initiatives including:

IFAA | Mentor to Market (M2M): training program builds capacity for artists and their representatives. The M2M alumni now number nearly 1,500 from over 40 countries. All new artists are required to attend these workshops, and returning artists select specific classes for continuing education on a range of topics including Business Management, Marketing & Promotion, Finding New Markets, Quality Control, and International Business Transactions.

IFAA | Market to Community: new in 2016 is an Artists Resource Fair before the artists return home. This is in direct response to the artists’ requests for opportunities to gather information on everything from solar powered water heaters, to clean water systems, to access to technology.

IFAM | Online: is a hands-on training program for artists interested in entering the global wholesale and export market place. This program provides training on pricing, catalogue development, and customer relations. Artists also learn how to handle complex and detailed regulations for international shipping and customs.

IFAM | Dallas Market Center (DMC) Collections: is hosted by the DMC at the Annual Total Home & Gift Show—one of the largest in the nation. Market artists are featured in a special International Folk Art Market pavilion. Artists participate in advanced training workshops to strengthen their earning opportunities through export for a year-round economy.

IFAA | Passport to Folk Art Trips: provide the unique opportunity to meet master folk artists in their home countries, experience rich histories and traditions firsthand, and connect with the artists that are creating a better future for their communities through their folk art all through comprehensively curated experiences with IFAA travel professionals.

IFAA | Folk Art Education: provides experiences through hands-on activities in schools and at the Museum of International Folk Art. IFAA distributes 1,000 complimentary tickets to youth groups and their families, connecting participants from Santa Fe, and throughout Northern New Mexico, directly to the artists in the Market.

IFAA | Family Day & Children’s Passport Project: retired teachers present this program to 1,000 children and their families who visit the artists’ booths and learn about their unique art and cultures. Breakthrough Santa Fe, an organization of teenagers from under-served public schools, are enlisted to mentor younger children in the program during Family Day at the Market. IFAA gives 500 tickets for Family Day to teachers, along with ideas on how to integrate Market themes into their curricula.

IFAA | Community Celebration: IFAA produces the annual Community Celebration featuring the very popular Market Artists’ Procession, artists’ demonstrations, hands-on activities for children, and international music. It is attended by an estimated 5,000 people.

ARTIST SELECTION Artist selection is a rigorous and juried process that is guided by the principles of artistic quality; traditionalism of the art form/art work as well as of the design and the production process; acquisition of artistic knowledge; and the role or use of the art form/art work in the artist’s community.

Independent folk artists, folk artists who are members of cooperatives, and businesses and non-profits working with folk artists are encouraged to apply.

The Artist Selection Committee is comprised of up to seven folk art experts who have the responsibility to review, discuss, and collectively decide which artists meet IFAA’s criteria to qualify for consideration by the Placement Committee into the International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe. The Selection Committee is guided by the overriding question: Is this artist application a stellar example of folk art in the 21st Century?

Nearly 600 artists apply annually for the coveted final group invited to Market. The finalists represent approximately 165 artists with nearly 40% being new or first-time artists.

IFAA Selection is a well-respected process. The final artists chosen represent a thoughtfully curated group including diverse media, country of origin, cultural story, and foremost exceptional quality.

DIVERSE FUNDING SOURCES Major support is provided by generous individuals, private foundations, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Santa Fe, County of Santa Fe Lodger’s Tax, corporations, and local businesses.

IFAA Revenue

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Total for FY2013-14 $2,491,461

35% Earned 34% Individuals

7% In-Kind 15% Foundation

5% Business 4% Government

IFAA Expenses

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Total for FY2013-14 $2,821,089

7% Fundraising

65% Market Programs 28% Administration

Note: All overhead (including fundraising and administrative costs) is covered by the IFAA’s earned revenue, such as tickets sales. Therefore, 100% of all donations goes directly to support artists and associated programs. Net assets are applied towards working capital for the coming year.

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It’s More than Folk Art. It’s the Future.

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