OUR MISSION AND HISTORY
MISSION
The Council for Indigenous Arts and Culture is a non-profit charitable, research and educational foundation established to foster, develop, and contribute to the support and understanding of authentic Indian arts, crafts, customs, traditions, and cultures. Its mission is to:
- Promote public understanding and awareness of handmade Indian arts and crafts
- Research the past, present, and future impacts of Indian arts and crafts
- Conduct educational programs to promote recognition of authentic Indian arts and crafts
- Conduct educational programs to assist Native American artisans in producing and marketing their creations
- Serve as a clearinghouse of information available to artists and the general public on the public laws, and public and private resources and services related to Indian arts and crafts.
HISTORY
The Council for Indigenous Arts and Culture (CIAC) was incorporated on March 17, 1998.
The Council is dedicated to resolving issues relating to the protection of arts and culture such as technical assistance in marketing, business planning and finance for the artists. The Council for Indigenous Arts and Culture was founded as an independent organization dedicated to that cause for artists, their families, and their communities. It was also realized that there was a need to educate law enforcement agencies in protecting the arts against fake imports and Indian style imitations.
The CIAC was formed with two goals in mind:
- to increase public awareness and appreciation for the preservation of the culture, arts, and history of North American Indians, and
- to provide North American Indian communities, through education and research, tools to develop and strengthen the economic foundation of their arts and crafts.
Since CIAC's incorporation:
- CIAC has held several conferences and workshops
- CIAC has published a full color book, Collecting Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts
- CIAC has held arts and crafts education expositions
- The President of the Board has been appointed as Project Director by the United Nations to develop an international trade law specifially designed to protect authentic handcrafts from commercial fraud in the world market and to develop international trade requirements to give all hand made jewelry, art and craft goods a specific line item on the Harmonized Tariff Schedule
- CIAC has assisted the Southwest Association for Indian Arts, the Eighth Northern Pueblo Council in New Mexico and the national Indian Arts and Crafts Association in monitoring the authenticity of products sold at their shows and events.
- CIAC has created a program to help tribes develop a certification trademark. This trademark will be registered with the US Patent Office. The purpose of this trademark is to establish a standard of authenticity for handmade arts and crafts by members of each tribe.
- CIAC continually provides educational services to various law enforcement agencies responsible for the enforcement of current Federal, State, and International law pertaining specifically to the Indian arts and crafts industry.