This summer marks a year since I took the plunge and started trading at markets. This was a big leap out of my comfort zone, and I feel I’ve come a long way since that very sunny Boldmere Summer Festival. It goes without saying that it has been a journey, so I thought I would take the time to reflect on what I have learnt so far.

Boldmere Summer Festival 2024 - First Market

The First Market

The first market was a success and a great introduction, but some small changes were definitely in order.

To begin with, I displayed everything on boards and kept my main stock behind me. The plan was simple: customers would point to the print they liked, and I’d fetch it. That might work with a better-organised system, but for me, it quickly turned into a scramble, and the interaction felt awkward. So for the next market, I switched to displaying prints in boxes for customers to browse at their leisure. It eliminated the scramble, and it also suits people who prefer to shop with less chatter.

On that note, to all my fellow artists: backboard all your prints, even the small ones, especially if you display them in boxes. I love seeing kids at markets; they are adorable, but nothing elevates your heart rate more than watching them flip through your work when they aren’t backed.

Finally, I removed the plastic from the prints on display. As you can see from the above photo, those reflections made it difficult to see the artwork at certain angles.

Winter Challenges

After a few summer and indoor markets, winter hit me off guard. On this particularly chilly day, I realised I’d underestimated how cold things can get when you are standing in one place for hours. With the cold season coming back around, I will be making sure I invest in some proper thermals.

Also lighting! I know this seems obvious, but despite all my planning, it is so easy to overlook the simple things like the early nights! When the sun set on my first November market, for a short while I ended up sitting in darkness until my very kind neighbour lent me a torch, it really saved the day.

Finding My Voice

I have been steadily growing in confidence, especially in talking about my work, and I’ve noticed people really value it. Not everything about the process is obvious to people, and many are just as interested in the process and the story, as they are in the artwork itself.

Birmingham Artisan Market, St Pauls Square, August 2025

There you go, my little bits of wisdom. I appreciate that some of these fixes might sound obvious, but when you are starting out, it is often the small things that are easily overlooked. I’m still learning myself, but I hope this is helpful to any fellow creatives considering trading at markets. Please feel free to share your thoughts or any questions; my inbox is always open. And if you are interested in my work, you can find me at the Jewellery Quarter every third Saturday of the month, or purchase my work online here!

Gallery

A Year of Markets

Birmingham Open 2025