We Orgnised our own Art Market Last Month!

June was a crazy month! Not only did I host my very first corporate art workshop, but I was organising and hosting an event in conjunction with the cafe I work at part-time!

We wanted to make use of the cafe's space after the hours it was normally open, so we decided on a theme of food. I admit this was mostly due to my subject matter orbiting food and human connection - but it also made sense as it was going to be an art market hosted at a cafe with food! One example of my work is this recent painting of cakes being shared between friends on a hot day.

We chose Palette Art Market as the name as the word palette can be spelt different ways to either mean paint palette or taste palate, linking the art and food themes. I designed the posters and instragram posts and suggested the artists that would suit the event, using my extensive experience selling at other art markets. 

We reached out to Feast With Us, a local charity that provides food to those with less while also tackling food waste! They suited our purpose brilliantly and were invited to have a table with us. I designed a posted to encourage donations with a QR Code for them!

The final steps were to order flyers, post on instagram, and tell everyone about it! The only issue came a few days before the event was due to happen - the heatwave. 

It was going to be 38 degrees C in London, and all of us were worried. Even if we felt able to push through and host it, we thought there wouldn't be many people visiting the market if it was so hot. However, it was just too late to reorganise, so we all decided to go forward with the plan and hope for the best. We were so glad that we did, because it ended up amazing!

It was only a 3 hour market on a random Wednesday, but there was a big turnout, and because it started at 5:30 in the evening, it was no longer unbearably hot! We had plenty of shade and a good breeze, and everyone was sweaty but safe.

I had definitely bit off more than I could chew because I was going to have a market stall as well as host a lino printing workshop with a fruit theme.

My boyfriend was so kind as to man my stall while I did the hosting, so this meant that he had my phone all night! I would have taken so many more photos and videos if I had my phone. 

I had such a good time, and it felt like such a relief when it was done and it had all worked out! Not only did the heat not strike us down, but everything we wanted and more happened at the market!

We are already in the process of planning another market at the Fields Beneath Cafe in Kentish Town. When it will happen is yet to be decided, but when it does happen, I'll be working on the posters and instagram marketing for it once again! 

After attending so many art markets, it was so fulfilling and wild to organise and host my own, and I'm so glad to have done it. What a bucket-list item!

Credit to Erin Williams for most of the photos used in this article