International Folk Art Market names new executive director

The International Folk Art Market has chosen University of Colorado professor Stacey Edgar as its new executive director.

“I am really excited for the folk artists because of Stacey’s background,” said Tom Aageson, IFAM co-founder. “She has deep international experience in Latin America and Africa, and experience creating markets for artists. She understands the small businesses of the folk artists, and the difficulties and challenges the artists experience every day at the grassroots level. It is a terrific match.”

Edgar comes to the market armed with 20 years of experience working with folk artists globally. For the past five years, Edgar has served as an assistant teaching professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, Leeds School of Business in the Social Responsibility & Sustainability Division.

She has volunteered for the market in various positions for the past five years.

In 2003, using a $2,000 tax refund, Edgar started a business devoted to bringing access to artisan women at her kitchen table.

“It grew into a business making $2 million annually,” said Edgar in a telephone interview from her home in Littleton, Colorado. “We partnered with about 250 women’s artisan businesses in 40 countries and sold their goods through wholesale and e-commerce.”

She later sold the business and took the university job.

“I have always loved the Folk Market,” she said. “I’ve done some of the artisan training. I’ve been a shopper; I’ve brought my husband and my kids. I think it is a real gem because it brings together the artisan women like nowhere else.

“I hope to build on this treasured event and experience. I think there’s a lot of opportunity to market it outside the event.”

In addition to Edgar’s qualifications, she has been honored by the Microsoft Corporation as a recipient of the company’s Start Something Amazing Awards; by Organic Style as one of their Women with Organic Style; and by Multichannel Merchant magazine as a “Maven of Merchandise.”

For 2024, 167 artists from 51 countries have been selected for IFAM’s 20th anniversary market. Organizers will welcome 42 first-time artists and a new country, Papua New Guinea, to the market. The 20th anniversary market will take place from July 11-14, 2024, at the Santa Fe Railyard Park.