The Harris Christmas Craft Market 2025

Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th November, Preston

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

The Harris in Preston will reopen its doors later this year following a multimillion-pound reimagining. The Harris Your Place transformation will see a blended offer across the art gallery, museum and library ensuring a quality experience fit for a 21st Century visitor.

The Harris is a leading museum, library and contemporary art venue in the Northwest. Located in the heart of Preston city-centre, the Harris is more than a monumental building: it’s a centre for Preston’s cultural and civic life, a source of inspiration, pride, creativity and enjoyment for our communities.

For 130 years, the Harris has been a landmark, welcoming both local people and visitors. The Harris is owned and managed by Preston City Council. Collections consist of costume, textiles, paintings, drawings, prints, photography, digital art, sculpture, glass and ceramics. Many of the works of art and historical objects are of regional, national and international significance.

The annual visitor forecast on reopening is expected to be in the region of 450,000.

To celebrate the reopening there will be a number of special events throughout the year and Hopeful and Glorious have been asked to curate the Harris Christmas Craft Market which will take place across the Harris with a wide range of stalls showing and selling work by fabulous artists, designers and makers.

This year’s Harris Christmas Craft Market will take place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th November, 2025.

Hopeful and Glorious will curate a showcase of around 40 artists, makers and designers who have been selected for the quality and originality of their work. The Harris Team will be responsible for the promotion of the Craft Market and management of the event over the weekend.

The Harris Christmas Craft 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.

There will not be any food stalls within the Harris Christmas Craft Market as there is already a designated café area within the Harris.

Event information and how to apply

If you are interested in applying for a stand at the Harris Christmas Craft Market 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. No electricity sockets are provided so makers must provide their own battery powered lighting etc if required. Stalls are for both days. No one day stalls are available.

The application form asks whether we can share your contact details with the Harris. This is so that we can maximise the opportunity to raise the profile of makers taking part and allow makers to find out about future opportunities with the Harris. If you do not wish to share your information with the Harris, you must indicate this on the form.

The selection process starts in May 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 June to August (depending on stall availability).

The Harris Christmas Craft Market begins at 10am on Saturday 15th. Set up will be on the Saturday morning from 8am. Dismantling stalls will take place from 5pm on Sunday 16th.

Stall prices

Each stall will have one 6ft table plus chair provided. The cost of this for the 2 days is £80. All other display equipment must be provided by the maker.

Terms and conditions

All applications, confirmations, enquiries and payments will be made through Hopeful & Glorious.
We will notify all makers by email to let them know whether we are able to offer them a stall. Invoices will accompany the stall confirmation. 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.
Stall holders are able to leave stalls and items within the building overnight, however this is at your own risk and neither Hopeful & Glorious nor Preston City Council carry liability with regards to these items.
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 £5million 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. Compliance with any safety standards or regulations which relate to your products is wholly your responsibility. 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 10am-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 Harris Christmas Craft Market 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 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.