Expoartesano is the fair that fosters a cultural encounter from all regions of the country, where the protagonists are the transmitters of ancestral knowledge who are dedicated to the craftsmanship of Colombian crafts.
Thus, in the second and third week of May each year, this Fair is celebrated at the Convention and Exhibition Center - Plaza Mayor- de Medellín, with the support of the governmental entity, Artesanías de Colombia.
A fair full of culture
It is a ten-day tribute to those who participate as exhibitors. More than 450 artisans gather to exhibit their work, promoting traditions condensed in finely crafted artifacts representing the history and culture of a country born from miscegenation, where indigenous and Afro-descendant cultures are preserved.
Around 115 indigenous artisans from 20 ethnicities of the country, 52 traditional artisans, and more than 283 farmers and artisan technicians exhibit their creations and techniques at this fair, aiming to facilitate business and give visibility to a sector whose richness in the elaboration of its products has great international projections.
Since 2009, this successful commercial showcase has been held, with the presence of over 200,000 visitors, becoming a tribute to customs and the wisdom in the handling of natural fibers, leather, wood, and different raw materials extracted from the great biodiversity of the national territory.
The event opens its doors with a parade where a renowned designer incorporates artisanal techniques into their creations, highlighting the values and virtues of this cultural expression, accompanied by native musical groups from different regions of the country.
What else will I find at the fair?
Not only the commercial exhibition is part of the fair. There are also offered for interested attendees, talks, classes, and workshops on Colombian culture and its roots, where reflections are made on our origins and the importance of maintaining these ancient traditions over time.
Exhibitions on indigenous body painting techniques, fashion applied to crafts, construction of native instruments such as drums and marimbas, workshops on Pacific singing, hairstyles and turbans, weaving, jewelry making, enrich the fair making it very attractive for international visitors and for new generations.
Live craft spaces and oral and musical expressions from different communities of the country are a way to honor customs and the efforts made by artisans to maintain these knowledge and successfully transmit them in the age of technology.
This dialogue between traditions and modernity keeps alive the interest in inherited arts and crafts whose designs are also updated to successfully reach end consumers.
At the Fair, there is also a space for ancestral medicine where initiatives are shown to promote better chemical-free nutrition and to promote medicinal plants that grow in our lands and which, thanks to ancestral knowledge and technique, help in infusions to improve some ailments of the human body.
During the Business Round, national and international buyers can connect with their favorite artisans and close deals where they can access their products. International fashion designers, interior designers, architects, artists, and entrepreneurs visit Expoartesano to include artisanal details in their seasonal designs, constructions, or businesses.
These specialized buyers have guides available at the fair, to make the relevant tours so they can learn about the techniques, history, and possibilities that can be built with Colombian artisans. The idea of the fair is to create trade opportunities with this sector, contributing to the boost of the orange economy.
Expoartesano is a Fair with a cultural purpose that provides artisans with a commercial launch platform to give worldwide visibility to the richness hidden in the most remote places of the country.
