The Festival of Making 2023
Saturday 8 July Blackburn
We’re looking forward to some brilliant makers markets in 2023. Our first event is at the National Festival of Making with the makers markets taking place on Saturday 8th July at Blackburn Cathedral.
Hopeful and Glorious have again been asked to curate the Makers’ Market at the Festival.
Stall applications are now open for makers, artists, designers and upcyclers. This joyous celebration of creativity draws festival crowds in search of one-off pieces, limited editions and handmade products from textiles to bespoke furniture.
The National Festival of Making will return to Blackburn on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th 2023. This joyous celebration of creativity regularly attracts crowds of over 40,000 across the weekend for a vibrant programme of art, science, digital and craft experiences attracting significant national media attention.
Once again, the Makers Market will be key feature of the Festival with a wide range of stalls showing and selling work by fabulous artists, designers and makers. This year’s marketplace will take place on Saturday 8th July at Blackburn Cathedral. This venue was used for the first-time last year with makers and visitors responding positively to the beautiful light and good accessibility right in the heart of the festival activity.
The Makers Market is a collaboration between Festival producers, Festival of Making CIC and guest curators, Hopeful and Glorious to celebrate and spotlight art, craft and design from across the region. Hopeful & Glorious will curate a showcase of around 50 artists, makers and designers who have been selected for the quality and originality of their work.
The Makers Market will provide a platform for creatives to exhibit and sell. It’s an opportunity for makers to share and shout about their creativity and industry.
We hope that by concentrating the market activity on the Saturday this will enable makers to benefit from visiting the wider festival on the Sunday.
There will not be any food stalls within the Makers Market as all food products will have a designated area elsewhere in the town centre. If you are a food producer, please contact info@festivalofmaking.co.uk
The Makers Market will be open from 11am and as with last year, we hope to have a talk in the cathedral during the market. Last year this popular part of the programme featured celebrity potter and judge on The Great Pottery Throwdown, Keith Brymer-Jones in conversation with festival supporter, Wayne Hemingway.
Event information and how to apply
If you are interested in applying for a stand at the Makers Market at the National Festival of Making please complete the online form with links to your website/s and social media. If you are unable to complete the form online, please email hopefulandglorious@gmail.com to request a word version of the form.
Each stand should be presented to a high standard and have a distinctive, visually appealing appearance. We will consider makers, designers, artists, and photographers who meet our standards of selection. All work should be made or designed by you.
We are keen to encourage makers committed to developing a sustainable practice to get involved. We know sustainability is about making step changes and makers are fantastic at upcycling, recycling and minimising waste.
Before applying please read the Terms and Conditions at the bottom of this document as you will need to agree to comply on your application.
Makers can apply for a single 6ft table stall or a double table area (12ft). If you require a socket you will need to indicate this on the form and an additional fee is payable. Sockets are limited so will be offered on a first come first served basis. We cannot guarantee any rear wall space.
The application form asks whether we can share your details with other Festival of Making partners. This is so that we can maximise the opportunity to raise the profile of makers taking part and allow makers the opportunity to take part in a range of opportunities around the festival programme.
The selection process starts in March and makers are advised to apply early. It may take up to four weeks to have a decision. Selection will be based on originality, quality, range of work (in relation to other selected makers) and contemporary approach. We will select makers on a monthly basis from the March to the end of June (depending on stall availability).
The Makers Market begins at 11am on Saturday 8th July. Set up will be Saturday morning from 8am. Dismantling stalls will take place from 5pm. All stalls must be removed by 6pm.
Stall prices
Tables and chairs are provided. All other display equipment must be provided by the maker.
| Description | Price |
|---|---|
| Single Table – 1.8m/6ft | £50 |
| Double Table – 2 x 1.8m/6ft | £80 |
| Single electrical power socket | £10 |
Terms and conditions
- All applications, confirmations, enquiries and payments will be made through Hopeful and Glorious.
- We will notify all makers by email to let them know whether we are able to offer them a stall. Invoices will be sent soon after along venue details. The stall fee must be paid in full within 10 days on receiving the invoice. If you have not paid within the 10 days the stall will be reallocated. Bookings are only final once we have received full payment and a completed booking form with all required details.
- As this is an event to promote the work of artists, makers and designers, all the products on the stand should be created by the artist/s represented on the stand.
- All stall locations are allocated in advance with the area of space which has been paid for. If you require more space (e.g. for print racks, rails etc) you will need to contact us in advance and there will be an additional charge.
- Please consider Health & Safety issues and inspect your stall regularly for potential hazards. Makers must have their own public and product liability insurance which covers all aspects of participation in the market of at least £3million and if appropriate PAT testing. It is the maker’s responsibility to display your work safely with full responsibility for the liability of products and the public in relation to the stall. Any breakages are the responsibility of the artist. Liability includes both the setting up and taking down of your stall.
- All artists are expected to add information to their websites, social media etc.
- Strictly nothing is to be attached/stuck to the walls.
- Exhibitors will be held responsible for any damage that they cause to the venue. Should there be any significant damage, the exhibitor will be charged for the full cost of repair or replacement and will be refused future bookings.
- There is no stall lighting – just overhead room lighting. If your work needs a specific level of lighting please bring appropriate lighting such as battery powered Work lights / LEDs.
- Makers must attend for the full day 11am-5pm.
- We expect stallholders to offer quality customer care and offer to replace or refund if any product sold is found to be damaged, faulty or unsuitable for use.
- Stall holders are required to use the provided tables.
- Stall holders must dispose of their own rubbish and ensure that your allocated space is left clean and tidy, leaving only the furniture provided by the organisers.
- Final set up details will be forwarded to each maker 2 weeks prior to the event.
- In the event that the National Festival of Making being cancelled due to force majeure including government / Public Health England advice to cancel due to a risk to health (such as prevention of the spread of coronavirus) then as far as possible an alternative date would be offered. If this is not possible then we will be providing an online market event for makers to share and sell their work.
- If you need to cancel your stall booking, please let us know as early as possible.
- Cancellation more than 8 weeks before the event a 50% refund payable
- Cancellation less than 8 weeks before the event – no refund payable.