Tanya is a furniture designer/maker looking to start a brand new artist collaborative, Artists Helping Artisans (AHA), which focuses on helping artisans in marginalized communities whose craft traditions or livelihoods are at risk. With the current economic crisis, and tourism dwindling, many of these craft communities are in dire need of help.

A large scale exhibition of Tanya’s work is scheduled for Sept 2010 at MACLA, Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latinoamericana, in San Jose during the Zero1 Biennial.  MACLA has created an opportunity to use the exhibition to showcase (and kickstart) collaborative works with artisans—and for the first time in Tanya’s art career, allowed her to become a catalyst for social change through the creation of craft.

Tanya is looking to raise $7,000 to begin the project which will help cover the costs of:

·        Plane tickets for Tanya and a documentarian/assistant

·        Shared hotel accommodations for 1 month

·        Stipend for artisans involved in workshops

·        Per diem for myself and a documentarian/assistant

·        Materials for creation of collaborative pieces

·        Car rental for 1 month

·        Shipping of works from Mexico to US

To read more about this project and to offer your support, follow this LINK.