Beyond the Mall: Making Matters

Closeup of a hand holding a chisel, pointed upwards and ready to carve into a piece of white, ornate stone on the right.

Closeup on a pair of hands folder paper into the petals of a flower. The table is scattered with yellow and pink paper flowers and craft supplies.

Closeup on a pair of hands weaving colorful yarn in a loom.

Closeup on a pair of hands rolling a pin on a stone to create a purple paste. Beside the stone is a basket full of blueish dried berries or bugs.

Beyond the Mall: Making Matters

Making Matters

June 25–27, 2021

“When we create art, we have the capacity to leave a better world for those who come after us.”

—Verónica Castillo, sculptor

This year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival was born from conversations about the ways artisans, cooks, and musicians—as individuals and communities of practice—have responded to the pandemic. What many created in a time so marked by loss and isolation revealed a deep sense of purpose and connection. Not only were their intentions brought into sharper focus, but we were struck by our hunger for making as a vehicle for giving shape to a world we struggled to know. Whether it’s a song, a garden, a loaf of sourdough, or a protest sign, our creations, however small, offer agency in a changing world.

We invite you to join us from June 25 to 27 for Beyond the Mall: Making Matters, as master artisans, cooks, sculptors, and musicians from as far as Armenia, Fiji, Peru, and Cuba, to right here in Washington, D.C., welcome us into their kitchens and studios to share stories and skills. And for the first time, the Folklife Festival is providing visitors with the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops from home. Together we’ll learn about Zapotec textile dyeing, Senegalese metalsmithing, Korean home cooking, and much more.

Beyond the Mall acknowledges that the vibrant spirit of our physical event is not bound by time or location. This weekend is a future-facing reflection of the Festival’s legacy of making community no matter the circumstance. As we have every year since 1967, we offer sincere thanks to all who open their creative lives to us. We hope that you take inspiration from their stories and find collective care in the sharing.

Schedule

Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Workshops have limited spots available, so we recommend registering early. All times are in the Eastern U.S. time zone. Click on a session to learn more and register.

** Events marked with asterisks have selected accessibility services by request only. Please review the accessibility offerings in the event listing and be sure to indicate your request when you register.

Time	Session	Type	Registration	Accessibility
Friday, June 25
6–7 p.m.	Encuentro en el Smithsonian: Telmary Díaz	Story Circle	Streaming online
Saturday, June 26
10–11:30 a.m.	Quechua Pom-Poms + Tassels	Community Workshop	SOLD OUT	**
12–1 p.m.	Placemaking, Collective Care, and Culture: A Conversation with Global Practitioners	Story Circle	Streaming online
1–4 p.m.	Backstrap Weaving with Nilda Callañaupa, Part 1	Master Workshop	SOLD OUT	**
2–3 p.m.	Languages of Home and Diaspora: Nourishing Palestine in Food and Verse	Story Circle	Streaming online
4–5 p.m.	Stories in Stone: Master Artisans on Tools, Technique, and Meaning	Story Circle	Streaming online
5–6 p.m.	Fiji Masi Cloth Flowers	Community Workshop	SOLD OUT	**
Sunday, June 27
10 a.m.–1 p.m.	Backstrap Weaving with Nilda Callañaupa, Part 2	Master Workshop	––	**
11 a.m.–12 p.m.	Passing the Torch: Senegalese Metalsmithing Across Geography and Gender	Story Circle	Streaming online
12:45–1 p.m.	Making Community in Music: A D.C. Music Map Conversation and Upload-a-Thon at Sound Scene	Story Circle	Registration required
2–3 p.m.	Samgyetang: Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup Across Generations	Kitchen Demo	Streaming online
2–6 p.m.	Cochineal Dyeing with Porfirio Gutiérrez	Master Workshop	SOLD OUT	**

Terms of Use: The Smithsonian may record the workshops and use such recordings in whole or part for its purposes, in any media, publicly, and without compensation to attendees. If you chose to use the workshops interactive features (e.g., chat, or sharing a feed from your device’s camera or speaker), you will take care to share only what is yours to share and that you are comfortable (i) sharing publicly, (ii) having captured on any recordings of the workshop, and (iii) used by the Smithsonian.

Use of the these features shall be civil and courteous (failing to meet this expectation risks removal per si.edu/termsofuse). Workshop participants waive any expectation of privacy in, and will hold the Smithsonian harmless from any cost or liability of any kind arising from, your participation in workshop.

Workshop Instructors

Featured Participants

Festival Marketplace

Handmade by and for the People
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival Marketplace, in collaboration with NOVICA, extends the reach of the Folklife Festival beyond our virtual and in-person events to offer an exceptional shopping experience. It honors the creativity, cultural heritage, and masterful skills of global artisans while contributing to the Smithsonian mission of sustaining and developing traditional crafts worldwide.
In our new online Marketplace, you’ll find beautiful works created by Festival participants, including Nilda Callañaupa and Porfirio Gutiérrez, as well as a global community of talented artisans.
Shop Now