Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art (FOFA) seeks to preserve and promote the rich folk art traditions of Oaxaca, Mexico, which have been passed on from generation to generation, often over hundreds of years. FOFA was founded to support Oaxacan folk artists during a time of severe economic distress. Through our ongoing educational programs, young artist exhibitions and catalogs, cultural collaborations and awareness-building, we are dedicated to keeping these age-old traditions alive.
FOFA Celebrates its 15th anniversary!
We look forward to 2023 during which we will:
Inaugurate the exhibition “Finding Hope Through Art” in Oaxaca on February 4, where we will present a 100-page full color catalogue featuring the 63 winning artists and their pieces. The works of these talented young people were selected by our international panel of four judges from among 115 entries by artists age 35 and younger in ceramics, woven rugs, other textiles, woodcarvings, jewelry, recycled art and more
Offer, once again, one-on-one English language tutoring to winning artists with an emphasis on helping them tell the story of their art and family heritage, and acquire the necessary vocabulary to transact sales
Provide a new workshop series on sustainability for woodcarvers taught by environmental consultant Carlos Ortega Ayala;
Offer the winning artists our popular program of marketing workshops led by FOFA consultants, Lorena de la Piedra and Diego Toledo Morales, to help them sell their work online, nationally and internationally;
Renew the very popular 12-session “Oaxacan Cultural History” course – that grounds artists in their Zapotec history and Oaxaca’s place in Mexican art -- for the new group of artists, along with winning artists in 2018 who missed half the course when it was interrupted by COVID in 2019;
Participate in a strategic planning meeting in Oaxaca in February — including members of FOFA’s board and a group of Oaxacan artists, consultants, MEAPO leaders, advisory board members, our administrative assistant in Oaxaca – to reflect on FOFA’s work-to-date and charter future directions.
Education is the Cornerstone of FOFA’s Mission
Click here to learn more about FOFA’s educational programs.
From its initial activities in 2008, FOFA’s competitions for young artists were distinguished by the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational experiences. In addition to cash prizes, workshops and courses as wide ranging as English, marketing, enhancement of product design, and – during the pandemic via online workshops – how to sell work remotely (using social media to reach potential clients, how to communicate with them, and methods of effectively packing and shipping their artwork). For those who could not participate, a written handbook (below) was created to convey this information.
Artist and Student Monserrat Raymundo Sánchez
Vende tu arte en línea: guía paso a paso para artesanos
FOFA ahora ofrece esta guía de forma gratuita en 13 Secciones. Cada sección le muestra los pasos necesarios para promocionar y vender sus piezas en línea, incluyendo cómo usar las redes sociales, tomar excelentes fotos, crear una identidad de marca única para usted y su obra de arte, así como embalar, asegurar y hacer envíos tanto nacionales como internacionales. La guía está disponible aquí para ver, descargar e imprimir.
Selling your Artwork Online:
A Step-by-Step Guide for Artesanos
COVID-19: Our Challenge and Response
The pandemic presented a huge challenge to FOFA’s mission: Since tourists were no longer traveling to Oaxaca and visiting artesanos in their home workshops, economic times were precarious. How could we help connect artists with potential customers? Our response: a robust complement of educationally-based programs for artesanos that both conveyed and taught the fundamentals of online sales and marketing. Even though tourism has improved, FOFA will continue to teach the fundamentals of reaching customers through social media, presenting artwork attractively, providing excellent customer service, and ensuring an effective packing and shipping experience.
Learn more about FOFA's Remote Selling Course in our Newsletters
How can you help?
If you’d like to help keep Oaxaca’s rich cultural heritage alive, please consider supporting FOFA’s ongoing programs. Mil gracias!
Keep up to date with FOFA News
Read our most recent e-newsletter about FOFA'S ongoing programs and the artesanos we support.
Have a question?
Contact us to find out about our ongoing programs, how to reach a particular artesano, or plan a trip to Oaxaca.