For Makers
If you make crafts in Solomon Islands and would like to sell your work through Solomon Islands Arts & Crafts (SIAC), this page explains how it works and how to get in touch.
How SIAC sources crafts
We buy handmade crafts — pandanus weaving, wood carving, kusa and trays made from bush-twine, and shell-money jewellery — directly from makers in Solomon Islands. We sell them wholesale to museum and gallery shops in Australia.
We know the sort of items that will appeal to customers in Australia. We look for items that are unique to Solomon Islands and part of its craft tradition, but will also sell in Australia.
We visit communities, meet makers in person, and purchase work at the price the maker sets. We pay upfront — not on consignment. We want makers to receive a fair price but we also try to keep prices reasonable so that museum and gallery shops will buy them.
Why not everyone at once
We are a small, volunteer-run operation. We can only work with a limited number of makers at a time because each relationship takes time — building trust, documenting provenance, arranging freight, and finding the right shops in Australia.
If we cannot buy from you right now, it does not mean your work is not good enough. It means we have reached our current capacity. We keep every expression of interest on file and reach out when we can take on more makers. Please fill in the form below to express interest in joining Solomon Islands Arts & Crafts as a maker.
What we promise makers
- You set your own price. We do not negotiate down.
- We pay you when we collect the work — upfront, not after it sells.
- Your name, photo, and story only appear on our website if you give written consent. You can withdraw consent at any time.
- Your designs and patterns remain yours. We document provenance; we do not own your work.
Get in touch
Fill in the form below and we will contact you if we are able to work together. All fields except “Message” are required.