The government of President Nayib Bukele will host the third edition of the El Salvador Art and Design Festival next weekend, aimed at supporting small and micro-entrepreneurs who have turned creativity into their core business.
CONAMYPE President Paul D. Steiner emphasized that the festival showcases the work fostered through the Official Fashion Cluster (SMODA), a network of small businesses in the fashion sector that receives government support to help grow their ventures.
“This year marks the fifth anniversary of SMODA. The goal is to foster the production of more designers and artisans who are learning to apply their traditional artisanal skills to modern fashion and decor,” Steiner said in a television interview.
The festival, which will be held at the former Presidential House in San Jacinto, Central San Salvador, will feature 16 fashion shows over the three-day event. “Thirty-five designer brands created for this festival will present their collections for 2025,” Steiner noted.
In addition to fashion shows, the festival will include two kids’ fashion shows, a pet fashion show, and side events like a traditional food fair with 15 participating vendors and a creative fair featuring 50 micro-businesses showcasing their products.
Since its inception in 2022, the El Salvador Art and Design Festival has opened doors for small businesses internationally, with some now participating in fashion events in the U.K. and Spain and others selling in fashion capitals like Milan, Italy.
“We now have 39 trade houses in 32 countries, coordinated by CONAMYPE and managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This teamwork, under President Bukele’s guidance, helps promote Salvadoran businesses abroad,” Steiner added.