the Oax-i-fornia workshop brings artists and designers into experimental collaborations with artisans in the state of Oaxaca, benefiting local communities and facilitating indelible creative experiences for both visitors and locals

Oax-i-fornia seeks to investigate new methodologies for the use of design and creativity as tools for social change and cultural engagement. Through hands-on making, we aim to establish bonds across cultures and to ultimately challenge our preconceived notions of otherness and difference in the process.

Artisans maintain ownership of the objects that arise out of the Oax-i-fornia collaborations, which can bring their craft production into new markets. We aim not only to provide material benefits, however, but also to provide local people with tools to continue working on their own and to create their own entrepreneurial spaces.