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Hmong embroiderers, Burmese weavers, a Liberian tailor, a Lithuanian book illustrator, and a Somali basket weaver are just a few of the artists who will demonstrate their arts and sell their work at a traditional artists' marketplace on Saturday, November 8, 2008 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." CHAP has created an initiative to encourage production and sales of traditional crafts among the many immigrant communities in the Greater Hartford area and across the state. A number of the artists have had success selling their work at area venues including the Billings Forge Farmers Market and the Hartford Public Library. "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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