Press & Media
Wake Up Call’s MK Mendoza speaks with Executive Director of SWAIA, Kim Peone
Indigenous Resilience Transforms Into Success and Poetic Justice at Virtual Santa Fe Indian Market By MK MENDOZA • OCT 22, 2020 Wake Up Call’s MK Mendoza speaks with Executive Director of SWAIA, Kim Peone about the success experienced at this year’s virtual Santa Fe Indian Market, now placing it in the lead as a model for helping artists … Learn More
SWAIA Indigenous Food and Basketry 10/19-10/25
Please join us as we celebrate Indigenous chefs, foods, food sovereignty, and artists, for the week of October 19th to the 25th. We are excited to bring you special programming including the Vision Maker Media travel and food series, Growing Native hosted by Director Chris Eyre. As well as Red Chef Revival, an award-winning series … Learn More
October Programming, Features, and Highlights
October programming includes basketry and a special week long feature on Indigenous Foods! Learn MoreHAPPY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY!
HAPPY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY! Learn More
‘Walk with Pride’, Santa Fe Indian Market Haute Fashion Show documentary (short film) Wins Regional Emmy
Walk with Pride, Santa Fe Indian Market Haute Fashion Show documentary (short film) Wins Regional Emmy On Saturday, September 19th, 2020 “Walk with Pride,” a short documentary about the popular Indigenous Fashion Show at the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA), was awarded a Rocky Mountain Regional Emmy in the category of Special Event … Learn More
2020 Virtual Winter Market
Virtual Winter Market is around the corner. Please stay tuned! Learn More
SWAIA’s Inaugural Virtual Indian Market Drives Sales and Membership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-September 14, 2020; Santa Fe, N.M.- The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts is pleased to announce a successful conclusion and excellent sales results from the organization’s first-ever Virtual Indian Market. The virtual market drove sales for SWAIA’s 450 participating artists and increased membership by 144 percent. Under the leadership of SWAIA’s new Executive … Learn More
2020 Virtual Indian Market People’s Choice Award Winner: Aydrian James Day!
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2020 Virtual Indian Market Awards Program Winners!
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Q & A with 2020 Merchandise Artist Adrian Standing Elk Pinnecoose
Adrian Standing Elk Pinnecoose is a Diné digital artist who specializes in 2-D creations and 3-D printed jewelry, and was featured in the 2018 Fashion Show with a line of 3-D printed looks. With a Virtual Indian Market, his futuristic designs with natural elements was a natural choice for this year’s merchandise. We asked Adrian … Learn More
SWAIA Develops “NDN World:” A Virtual 3D World Showcasing Native Art
If you haven’t heard of NDN World yet, don’t worry, you will soon. In March, the Southwestern Association of Indian Arts, the non-profit that produces the 99-year-old Santa Fe Indian Market, embarked on a project with consulting partners, the Clark Hulings Fund and Free Agent Source to create a virtual gathering space. The virtual space, named NDN World, is the … Learn More
SWAIA’s Fashion Show is Now Virtual
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-August 5, 2020; Santa Fe, NM-The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts is pleased to announce this year’s Virtual Fashion Show premiering at SWAIA.org-August 10 through August 16, 2020. SWAIA’s annual Fashion Show is produced by Amber-Dawn Bear Robe (Siksika Nation) showcasing the best of North American Indigenous fashion. “Indigenous fashion is continually changing, … Learn More
Support of CommUNITY Learning Network during 2020 Virtual Market
Community Learning Network Mobilized Volunteers and Interns to Help SWAIA Artists Create Websites FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 1, 2020; Santa Fe, NM: Community Learning Network (CLN) mobilized an informal and formal network and coordinated more than 40 interns and volunteers (meet a few of them here) from a range of partner organizations including Stonehill College, Villanova University, University of Portland, University … Learn More
A Tremendous Start to Virtual Indian Market!
Thanks to all of YOU, Virtual Indian Market has started off with a bang! We have already received feedback that speaks to the importance of supporting artists during these uncertain times: ** As a former SWAIA Board member, I must say how impressed I am by the organization’s dedication to its artists and members, especially … Learn More
SWAIA Launches Global Native American Art Marketplace With Help From the Clark Hulings Fund & Artspan
SANTA FE, N.M., June 29, 2020 (Newswire.com) -The Southwestern Association for Indian Art (SWAIA) is pleased to announce additional details about their partnership with the Clark Hulings Fund, which will launch the 2020 Virtual Indian Market on Aug. 1, 2020, while providing business training and support to Native artists. A further collaboration with Artspan.com is producing e-commerce websites … Learn More
VIRTUAL INDIAN MARKET ARTISTS
Sharon Abeyta Victoria Adams Richard Aguilar Avery Aguilar Robert Albert Renee Allen Marla Allison Carlon Ami Ephraim Anderson Quinton Antone Venancio Aragon Irveta Aragon Allen Aragon Le’Ana Asher Francisco Bailon Virginia Ballenger Carlin Bear Don’t Walk Nanibaa Beck Victor Beck, Sr. Berdine Begay Erick Begay Eddie Begay Darryl Begay Frederick Begay Jr Marwin Begaye Roberta Begaye Daryl Begaye Esther Belin Veronica Benally Ernest Benally Tina Benavente George Bennett Donna Bennett Lester Berryhill Wayne Beyale Christian Bigwater Michael Billie Jolene Bird Dante Biss Grayson Leslie Bitsie, Jr. James Black Beverly Blacksheep Galen LaRoche Lee Bowers Albert Bowie Debra Box Karen Box … Learn More
SWAIA’s Inaugural Virtual Indian Market Drives Sales and Membership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-September 14, 2020; Santa Fe, N.M.- The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts is pleased to announce a successful conclusion and excellent sales results from the organization’s first-ever Virtual Indian Market. The virtual market drove sales for SWAIA’s 450 participating artists and increased membership by 144 percent.
Under the leadership of SWAIA’s new Executive Director, Kim Peone (Colville Confederated Tribes / Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) and SWAIA’s board of directors, the organization pivoted to launch a reimagined, digital Indigenous art market- August 1 to August 31, 2020.
Out of the 1,117 Indigenous artists who were juried into the 2020 Santa Fe Indian Market, 450 artists joined the inaugural Virtual Indian Market. Of the initial artist participants, only 77 artists had existing websites; at the time of the Virtual Indian Market launch that number increased to 450.
The Virtual Indian Market was made possible with the support of Artspan LLC (Artspan.com) which was responsible for helping SWAIA artists build several hundred individually branded artist sites and integrating the sites into an art Marketplace. The Clark Hulings Fund also played an important role in providing business education and training to SWAIA artists.
“We are hoping to attract more participants: artists who have been tracking and evaluating the virtual market. We hope these artists will make the decision to come onboard with us because this is something that we will continue to promote. We will continue to have events throughout the year to drive people to the artists’ websites,” said Kim Peone.
When evaluating the success of the virtual market, it is important to note that SWAIA and the annual Santa Fe Indian Market are more than just a once-a-year sales opportunity; SWAIA serves as a cultural and artistic meeting place and support organization for more than 1,000 Indigenous artists in both the U.S. and Canada.
“We were thrilled and grateful for all that SWAIA staff did for the artists this year,” said Barbara Harjo whose husband, Benjamin Harjo Jr., is a veteran and award-winning Santa Fe Indian Market artist. The couple has been attending and participating in Indian Market for over 30 years and the family has been involved since 1921.
An additional SWAIA initiative, whose preliminary plans and successful launch was achieved this August, is the virtual “NDN World” on the Vircadia platform. SWAIA staff will continue to develop, train and promote the virtual space as both as a market and meeting place.
A Virtual Winter Indian Market is planned for November 27, 2020. Stay tuned for more details.
Audrey Rubinstein | The METTA Agency
audrey@themettaagency.com
505.490.5029