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Hmong embroiderers, a Romanian woodcarver and a Somali basket weaver are just a few of the artists who will sell their work at a traditional artists’ marketplace on Saturday, November 3, 2007 from 11 am to 5 pm at The Institute for Community Research (ICR), 2 Hartford Square West, Suite 100 in Hartford, CT. The event, which is free and open to the public, will also include rug weavers, crochet artists, and jewelry makers, representing recent immigrant and refugee groups from across Southern New England. Organized by ICR’s CT Cultural Heritage Arts Program (CHAP), the marketplace is part of Hartford Open Studios Weekend, a creative showcase for local artists held annually in Hartford.
“It’s great to be associated with Open Studios again,” says CHAP Director Lynne Williamson. “We are happy to present this opportunity for rarely seen artists to meet the public and to market their work, all of which is unusual, traditional, and exquisitely made.” Last year, ICR hosted a similar marketplace as part of Weavings of War: Fabrics of Memory – an international traveling exhibit of tapestries, needlework, story cloths, and other traditional weavings made by artists from war-torn countries such as Laos, Peru, and Afghanistan. Inspired by the community response, CHAP has begun a new initiative to encourage production and sales of traditional crafts among the many immigrant communities in the Greater Hartford area and across the state. “This effort is really important for ICR because part of our mission is to work with local communities whose voices are not often heard, and to try to expand access to cultural resources,” says ICR Executive Director Margaret Weeks, Ph.D. At this time of year, the marketplace is also a great place to find special holiday gifts while supporting local artists in their new venture.
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The Institute for Community Research is an independent research institute that conducts applied research and supports community enhancement programs on issues of health, education and cultural heritage. Its Connecticut Cultural Heritage Arts Program encourages and promotes traditional artists and their communities through an active process of documentation, technical assistance, and public presentations to bring their work and the history of their communities to new audiences. Project supporters include the Aetna Foundation, the Greater Hartford Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Knox Foundation, and the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.
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