Gathering of the Textile Arts

by | Jun 25, 2017

Tinkuy 2017, the Gathering of the Textile Arts in Cusco, Peru, November 8–11, 2017. This international gathering of indigenous textile artisans, textile enthusiasts, art historians, anthropologists, and many others will celebrate the wealth and diversity of our textile traditions, and everyone is invited!

Not only will there be hands-on workshops and opportunities to learn about textile arts from some of the world’s leading experts, this unique conference also helps encourage and empower textile artisans from developing countries who are continuing their traditions, strengthening their communities, and making a future for their families. You cannot imagine the pride in the eyes of a weaver from a tiny village community when she sees hundreds of weavers from around the world gathered to celebrate her traditions—traditions that have been undervalued and all but lost in the weaver’s own society. Not only do the artisan participants come away with new weaving ideas and a new sense of pride, they leave with training to help them make their businesses more successful and sustainable.

We hope some of your guild members will be interested in attending Tinkuy. And for those who cannot attend, we hope your members will consider sponsoring artisan weavers from cooperatives in other countries to attend and have this life-changing experience. You can find details here.

If your guild would consider donating to help sponsor an artisan weaver to attend Tinkuy, we welcome any amount you choose to give. $250 will sponsor 10 young weavers from the CTTC communities to attend the workshops. Any guild that sponsors a group of 10 weavers will be acknowledged in the Tinkuy program, which we will send you a copy of to share at your meetings. Your guild can donate at www.andeantextilearts.org/get_involved/donate. Please note on the comment field that your donation is to sponsor weavers for Tinkuy 2017.

News for Program Chairs: “Peruvian Textiles in a Box” Coming in 2018

Andean Textile Arts is pleased to announce that we will soon be offering “Peruvian Textiles in a Box,” a self-guided guild program about the weavers, textiles, and communities around the Sacred Valley of Peru. The program includes video, speaker notes, and a selection of textiles representing the wide variety of weaving structures and designs from the various communities, from intricate warp-faced pickup techniques to tapestry and scaffold-weaving, plus knitting, dyeing, braiding, and more. This program in a box will be available to guilds on a rotating basis for a small shipping fee and the cost of returning the materials. For more information, email us at