ATA is creating sponsorship opportunities for fiber arts guilds, interested individuals, and other community groups in the U.S. to provide financial support to Young Weavers groups affiliated with CTTC’s ten villages. CTTC has identified an urgent need to involve the youth of its communities in the educational and preservation efforts before the tradition fiber arts knowledge and skills are lost. The three-fold focus of the Young Weavers Groups (which include knitting and spinning in addition to weaving skills) is to expose kids to and teach them about traditional textiles and techniques, for the youth to form healthy social contacts within and between communities, and to enhance their educational experiences.

Each U.S. group would partner with a specific Andean community to provide funds for their Young Weavers group. The funds will be used to purchase fiber arts materials such as yarns, natural dyes, and weaving, spinning, and knitting tools. Each new YWG member is expected to sew traditional clothing to wear when participating in YWG programs, so a portion of the sponsorship money will also be used to purchase materials for that clothing.

Each sponsoring U.S. group will receive communications from their sponsored Young Weavers Group, including photos, possible products, and stories of the youth and their accomplishments. A sponsorship will be a one-year financial commitment with a renewal possibility. Annual sponsorship levels are $100 (fiber arts materials) or $350 (fiber arts materials plus traditional clothing materials). For more information, contact us at info@andeantextilearts.org.