New Mexico History Museum celebrates 100 years of Santa Fes Indian Market
April 11th, 2022
Santa Fe, NM — The New Mexico History Museum (NMHM) is pleased to announce the opening of Honoring Tradition and Innovation, an exhibition commemorating 100 years of Santa Fe’s Indian Market, 1922-2022. The exhibition, which opens on August 7, 2022, traces the 100-year history of this important market and explores the ongoing impact of U.S. Indian policies on the Native American art world over the last century. It also celebrates the artists, collectors, and volunteers that continue to make it happen. The exhibition will display more than 200 examples of works by Indian Market artists from private and public collections and historic and contemporary photographs, as well as interviews with artists and collectors.
Santa Fe’s Indian Market is the largest juried Native American art show in the world and generates an estimated $160 million for Native artists and the local economy. Each year, more than 100,000 people attend this remarkable event, which surrounds the central plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and sponsors over a thousand Native artists from more than 200 tribal communities in North America and Canada.
Over the past century, the American Indian art world has been significantly influenced and sustained by Santa Fe’s Indian market and tourist industry. The market provides income to artists and their families and connects Native and non-Native worlds through the interactions it fosters. Indian Market itself has evolved through these exchanges, becoming a place where Native artists are empowered to share cultural histories with non-Native visitors. In this respect, Indian Market has served not only as a marketplace, but also as a forum for shared cultural exchanges that enhance visitors’ experiences.
The market, which was called “Southwestern Indian Fair and Industrial Arts and Crafts Exhibition” in its early years, has grown tremendously in scope and size since its 1922 beginnings. It was originally sponsored by non-Native staff at the Museum of New Mexico and the School for American Research, and it is now helmed by the mostly Native American staff and board members of SWAIA. The mission of the market was originally to preserve traditional designs and technologies of the past, but now the market is committed to “bringing Native arts to the world by inspiring artistic excellence, fostering education, and creating meaningful partnerships.”
About the New Mexico History Museum
The New Mexico History Museum is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, under the leadership of the Board of Regents for the Museum of New Mexico. Programs and exhibits are supported by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and its generous donors. NMHM is a statewide educational resource, landmark, and destination for everyone who wants to understand the diverse experiences of the people of New Mexico, the dynamics that have shaped our state, and the relationships that connect our region with the rest of the world.
# # #
New Mexico CulturePass
Your ticket to New Mexico's exceptional Museums and Historic Sites.
From Indian treasures to space exploration, world-class folk art to awesome dinosaurs—our museums and monuments celebrate the essence of New Mexico every day.
More Info »
Encounter Culture
Take a look inside the museums and historic sites of New Mexico without leaving home. Join host Charlotte Jusinski, and a variety of guest curators, artists, and exhibitors in exploring the art and culture of the state in Encounter Culture, a new podcast from the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
Featured DCA Exhibitions
Here, Now and Always
The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture invites you to visit its brand new permanent exhibition, Here, Now and Always,
more »
John P. Stapp Air & Space Park
Named after International Space Hall of Fame Inductee and aeromedical pioneer Dr. John P. Stapp, the Air and Space Park
more »
New Mexico Colonial Home - Circa 1815
The Spanish colonial home (la casa) gives visitors an idea of what a home from the time around 1815 would have looked
more »