If you’re looking for a fun day trip from the Four Corners area, don’t miss the famous International Folk Art Market (IFAM), which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary July 11–14, 2024, at the Railyard Park in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The festivities will kick off on Wednesday, July 10, at the Railyard Water Tower with a free community celebration and artist procession. For ticketing information, go to folkartmarket.org/tickets.
Since 2004, IFAM has hosted more than 1,600 master folk artists from 103 countries, empowering artists and communities by promoting traditional art forms. Out of this year’s 571 artist applications, the market has selected 167 artists from 51 countries. This year, IFAM is welcoming a new country to the market with the inclusion of Papua New Guinea.
“We are thrilled to highlight artists who have been with us since the beginning in our Legacy Tent, as well as showcase the way artists are creatively evolving folk art in our Innovation Tent,” said IFAM Executive Director Stacey Edgar. She added, “The market will include a dynamic roster of global artisans that deliver on our mission to honor the handmade and support the work of artisans serving as entrepreneurs and catalysts for positive social change.”
In 2023, the International Folk Art Market relocated from its longtime home on Museum Hill to the center of Santa Fe’s thriving arts district at Railyard Park. At this year’s market, attendees will experience the world’s best folk artists; enjoy global music including Grupo TradiSon, from La Habana, Cuba, and additional performances on the AMP stage, sponsored by Nusenda Credit Union; sample unique culinary experiences from international food vendors; and learn about issues affecting global artisans at the IFAM speaker series titled The Eternal Present.
Each of our artists has a story to tell about craft tradition. They support families and villages, and uphold cultural practices. Together, we help them share their stories.
620 Cerrillos Rd,
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 992-7600
Story sponsored by the International Folk Art Market
In celebration of the twentieth edition of the International Folk Art Market, the annual speaker series takes its cue from the broad Indigenous worldview that time is cyclical and circular. The series will be held at SITE Santa Fe and the program is curated and moderated by Philip Fimmano. Community Day, sponsored by New Mexico True, will be held on Sunday, July 14. Through the generous sponsorship of the State of New Mexico, IFAM will offer free admission for all timed entry tickets throughout the day. For ticketing information, go to folkartmarket.org/tickets.
“We’re making it easier for all New Mexico residents and beyond to join us at the market. That’s why we’re proud to partner with the Rail Runner Express again this year. Marketgoers can ride the train operated by Rio Metro Transit by simply adding a round-trip seat from their nearest train stop directly on the IFAM ticket site. From Los Lunas to Bernalillo, you’ll arrive just steps away from the iconic market entrance at the beautiful Santa Fe Depot. Join us for a unique global experience like you’ve never seen before,” said Chairman of the IFAM Board, Hank Coleman.
In 2024, IFAM was voted #6 on the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards list of the Top 10 Art Markets in the United States. In just 20 years, Santa Fe’s International Folk Art Market has developed into the largest juried folk art market of its kind in the world.
The International Folk Art Market was created in 2004 by Judith Espinar, Thomas Aageson, Charlene Cerny, and Charmay Allred, with the mission to create economic opportunities for and with folk artists worldwide who celebrate and preserve folk art traditions.