This Summer’s Santa Fe Indian Market Is Going Virtual
Every summer, the Santa Fe Indian Market draws in a crowd of over 100,000 collectors and shoppers, all of whom travel from across the nation to peruse its booths of indigenous-made collections, including jewelry, clothing, textiles, and more. It is by far the city’s most profitable tourism event, and this year, the market was set to celebrate its 99th year running. However, like many public outdoor gatherings, the event was cancelled in April due to the coronavirus pandemic. But its organizers are not giving up on it yet. In an effort to continue supporting its many artists, the market is moving to a virtual format.
The market, which is organized by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA), has announced a new partnership with the Clark Hulings Fund for Visual Artists (CHF). Together, they are planning to create an online platform launching in August, when the market is typically held. On this new website, the 1,000-plus artists who were scheduled to show this year will be able to post and sell their new works. One such artist who has been doing so is the Apsaalooke beadwork artist Elias Jade Not Afraid, whose pieces rapidly sell out during market. “Going virtual will reach a wider audience and is safer in these times,” he says.
While some of these artists already have well-established sites of their own, many of them are not currently equipped to sell their work online. This new platform aims to help those who may not be as savvy with e-commerce. “There's a large percentage who rely on it as their annual income, and this pandemic has had an adverse effect on artists who are not online at this time,” says Kimberly Peone, the executive director of SWAIA. “It’s our objective to provide them with that technical assistance or education.”
SWAIA is also making efforts to minimize the costs for artists to take part in the market. Typically, artists pay around $700 in booth fees, but artists who were granted spaces in the 2020 market, and who will be showing virtually, will only have to cover $200. This fee will apply to the entire calendar year, meaning they can sell their works on the platform well beyond August. “We're really hoping that the platform is a perpetual avenue for artists to sell their art,” Peone says. “We’re trying to give opportunities for collectors to discover new art and new artists through this platform, out of the comfort of their homes.”
In addition to the shoppable market component, SWAIA also hopes to bring the Santa Fe Indian Market’s more interactive experiences online as well. The annual fashion show, for instance, is one of the most-anticipated events of the market every summer. In place of a showcase of several designers, the fashion show’s main organizer, Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, is switching to a more focussed digital experience. She will be working with the Diné designer Orlando Dugi on a special pre-taped video to feature Dugi’s design process, as well as a full on taped runway show. “He already had a whole new line set for the August fashion show,” Robe says, adding that the video medium lends itself to seeing his work up close and personal. “His work is very time consuming, a lot of thought and skill goes into his work.”
Other aspects of the market, however, will be trickier to navigate online. Its “Best of Show” competition, in which artists submit entries for prizes, is something that SWAIA is still figuring out how to approach virtually. “When there's judging going on for Best of Show, the judges want to make sure that the integrity of the pieces are intact,” Peone says. “It's almost a necessity that these pieces be looked at in person.”
Next year’s Santa Fe Indian Market, which was to be its centennial anniversary, has been pushed back to 2022, meanwhile. Peone and SWAIA hope to give the 100-year mark the proper celebration it deserves. And despite the virtual innovation they are doing this summer, Peone anticipates the crowds will return with joy. “People are definitely going to want to relive it,” she says. “There's such a love for Indian Market, and as we move into the future, we just have to reimagine the possibilities.”
Originally Appeared on Vogue
