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- By Rich Tupica
SANTE FE — While the Santa Fe Indian Market (SWAIA) was cancelled due to COVID 19, the colossal Native arts event is moving ahead online.
According to a release from SWAIA’s Kimberly Peone, the event has been revamped into a Virtual Indian Market following a partnership with Clark Hulings Fund for Visual Artists (CHF), a Santa Fe-based nonprofit.
“SWAIA has hired [CHF] to serve as project manager for the Virtual Market, and provide us with the support and expertise that comes with their decades of experience,” Peone said. “We feel the partnership is exactly what SWAIA needs as we explore new territory. [We] see this as an opportunity to expand our mission to serve artists and the art community in a broader way.” According to the SWAIA release, the virtual platform will accommodate more artists than the physical market, which is constrained by limited space in downtown Santa Fe. With this new virtual setup, artists who were juried in in 2020, but on the waitlist for a booth, will now have a chance to participate. Other fresh programming on the website will include a fashion show, virtual exhibits and more.
SWAIA, which is approaching its centennial year, has a rich history in supporting Native arts. First launched in 1922, today the annual market attracts more than 115,000 people and generates over $160 million dollars in revenues for the state and region.
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