Feria Maestros del Arte brochure

Feria Maestros del Arte Brochure
(Available in hard copy or electronic pdf) format)
(Click on photos to see enlargements)

Not just another art show, Feria Maestros del Arte is a "heart" show. Completely non-profit, the Feria is organized by an army of volunteers. Artists pay no fee or percentage of sales. They are housed with local families, fed two meals a day, and assisted with transportation, if needed. Their participation in the fair is a unique community event. Every year, extra-ordinary cross-cultural bonds are forged between families of diverse backgrounds.

Why do we do it? To keep Mexican folk art alive! As Mexico changes, many artists are being forced to give up their art to make a living in the cities. Without the kind of intervention Feria Exposición Maestros del Arte AC provides, the world’s most creative culture will lose its exceptional heritage.

The Feria is a three-day event held in one of the most beautiful villages in Mexico, Chapala. Hand-picked Master Artists travel from all over the country to bring buyers and collectors an astonishing variety of exceptional folk art. Many of the artists are featured in the acclaimed book “Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art” and represent families that have practiced their art for generations; others are inspired craftsmen yet to be discovered. All are masters of their medium—clay, paper, fabric, paint, wood, stone, silver, alpacca, or other traditional material.

Sponsors
The Feria became a legal non-profit Mexican entity in 2007 - Feria Exposición Maestros del Arte A.C. and is also a United States 501c3 non-profit corporation. This means that sponsor donations are tax-deductible and that we are able to apply for grant applications. The only money the Feria makes itself is from the small admission charged (50 pesos).

Without the help of our sponsors, the Feria cannot continue to grow and attract buyers and collectors from outside Mexico. Putting on an event that attracts thousands of people needs funding to assist with advertising, site, tents, tables and chairs rental, flyers, posters, even assisting to bring artists from the far corners of Mexico - for example, the last three years, we have organized a bus for Oaxacan artists. They cannot bring enough art to sell for three days on a regular bus, so we hire a bus and fill it with artists and all their wonderful handcrafts.

Admission fees are small so that everyone can afford to take home a treasure. Expect to find the finest Mexican folk and indigenous art directly from the artists – without middleman or gallery prices.

• Meet the artists
• Witness demonstrations
• Participate in the Sunday charity raffle
• Enjoy Mexican cuisine and free Tequila tasting
• Revel in the thrill of the embroidered-gown fashion show
• Ship purchases with our no-hassle with our on-site shipper

All the information you need about getting to and from Chapala, is all on the website along with a list of our favorite hotels and restaurants. For more information about Feria Maestros del Arte, email Marianne Carlson or call (01152 from outside Mexico) 376 765-7485.

The brochure is available in both hard copy and pdf format. If you would like a hard copy mailed to you, please email Marianne Carlson.