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 – and today, the impact of COVID-19 is equally devastating. 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.
COVID-19: Our Challenge and Response
For FOFA, the pandemic has presented a huge challenge to our mission: If tourists are no longer traveling to Oaxaca and visiting artesanos in their home workshops, how can we help connect artesanos with potential customers during these precarious economic times? Our response: a robust complement of educationally-based programs for artesanos that both convey and teach the fundamentals of online sales and marketing.
New digital catalog of online photo exhibition
“Oaxacan Folk Artists in the Time of COVID-19” features spectacular artworks by 138 artesanos – winners in FOFA’s young artists’ competitions since 2008 -- who participated in an Instagram exhibition launched by FOFA in July 2020. Created by FOFA to memorialize the exhibition, the catalog includes portraits of the artists in their home workshops and self-written descriptions of their pieces and their experiences of the pandemic..
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
Education is the Cornerstone of FOFA’s Mission
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, FOFA has taken the unprecedented step of offering groups of artesanos a remotely-taught course in how to sell and market their artworks online. For any artesano who cannot attend the classes, FOFA is now providing this free online guidebook, shown above. Click here to learn more about FOFA’s educational programs.
Artist and Student Monserrat Raymundo Sánchez
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!
Have a question?
Contact us to find out about our ongoing programs, how to reach a particular artesano, or plan a trip to Oaxaca.
Keep up to date with FOFA News
Read our most recent e-newsletter about FOFA'S ongoing programs and the artesanos we support.