*DEADLINE EXTENDED to Sunday 21st July 2024* Call for CONTEMPORARY CRAFT designer-makers working in a wide range of HANDMADE disciplines to exhibit work at the SALTAIRE MAKERS FAIR on Saturday 26th to Sunday 27th October 2024.

Taking place over two days within Victoria Hall, located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire, arts event organisers Saltaire Inspired are looking to select and showcase high-quality, innovative work to show and sell at this highly respected craft market, with A FOCUS ON HANDMADE PRACTICES in ceramics, textiles, jewellery, printmaking, glass, metal, artists' books, paper, leather, wood, furniture, plastics, textiles, fashion/accessories, and mixed media. 

Applications with a focus on painting, drawing, photography or other Fine Art practices WLL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

Event Dates: Saturday 26th October - Sunday 27th October 2024

The Saltaire Makers Fair

Held twice a year, Saltaire Inspired's Saltaire Makers Fairs have an established reputation for providing a showcase for some of the best contemporary craft available for sale or commission in the north of England and across the UK. Audiences will have the opportunity to see unique and original handmade products, buy directly from the artists and makers, and meet the creative talent behind the work.

The venue, Victoria Hall in Saltaire, is both attractive and historically unique, a great setting for a contemporary craft fair, and we regularly see 1000 - 1500 visitors per day through the doors. The Fair will include artist demonstrations, a popular Art Tombola and there will be a pop-up cafe with delicious sweet and savoury snacks.

The Saltaire Makers Fair in October will form a part of Saltaire Inspired's well established annual programme of visual arts events, which have been running since 2006 - highlighting the unique spaces within the popular cultural tourism destination of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire village.

Visit the Saltaire Inspired website to find out more.

Some comments from past exhibitors: -

"The footfall was amazing. The organisers and volunteers were warm and welcoming as always"

"Nice mixture of stalls, plenty of room for visitors to walk around, generally nice atmosphere and great team"

"Friendly yet professional feel. High quality makers"

"Excellent marketing and buzz"

"Very good footfall with plenty of people willing to buy work"

"Saltaire is wonderful because it brings designer/makers and people who are really interested in art work together in one place"

''From the moment you're greeted at the entrance and someone offers to help you with your bags, to leaving at the end when there are still happy faces offering to help, you know you're in the cocoon of a well prepared and organised event''

"Enjoyed the event very much and made to feel special by both organisers and visitors"

"One of the best organised/set up/run fairs I’ve done to date"

What are we looking for?

• We aim to showcase the original contemporary craft and design work of independent UK-based artists, makers and designers.
• All work must be of a handmade nature and have been made by the exhibitor themselves.
• Work must be original in concept not an obvious copy of another designer-maker’s work.
• We are looking for contemporary work that is skillfully made and of a high quality, suitable for display in a contemporary craft gallery setting.
• Applications to show printmaking work must feature original limited edition handmade prints as the main focus, and should only show digital/giclée prints as a small part of their display and should be labeled as such.
• We do not accept or promote work constructed from assembled pieces, kit-based items or mass-produced reproductions of works in other media. Merchandising, including commercially printed cards, should form only a minor part of the exhibitor’s display. 
• Traditional fine art practices such as painting, drawing and photography will not be suitable for display within the Saltaire Makers Fair.
• Returning artists and makers will be expected to exhibit a proportion of new work. Applicants who have exhibited at the last 3 or more consecutive events may benefit from taking a break from exhibiting this year, in order to keep the show fresh and regular audiences engaged.
• Joint or group submissions can be considered only if artists wish to present their work together as a single display, where the work is related in subject matter, style, technique etc. or is the work of a studio group, and intended to be shown as a coherent joint display.
• Saltaire Inspired is committed to inclusion and diversity and particularly encourages applications from artists whose backgrounds and lived experience are underrepresented in the visual arts, contemporary craft and design sectors. If you would value a pre application conversation or have questions about showing your work within the Saltaire Makers Fair, please contact us.

Our Saltaire Makers Fairs have a specific focus on showcasing handmade and contemporary craft, therefore we are unable to accept applications of traditional Fine Art practices, such as painting, drawing and photography. Artists wishing to show Fine Art works should consider applying for our future OPEN VILLAGE opportunity, which runs alongside The Saltaire Makers Fair during the Saltaire Arts Trail weekend in May.

Before submitting an application, applicants MUST read the 'Opportunity FAQs' section for full details and requirements for this event. This can be found towards the top of the page, below the event title, by clicking the tab in green text.

Demonstrations

We are able to offer a limited number of spaces to artists wishing to demonstrate their craft, this is a great opportunity to engage visitors and encourage sales. A discount on pitch fees will be offered to those exhibitors selected to run demonstrations that feature an activity for visitors to watch or take part in. See the 'Opportunity FAQs' section for details, and include details in your application if you wish to be considered.

Costs

STANDARD PITCH: £135 for 2 days - Approximate floor space of 8x4 ft, including a 6x2.5 ft table and up to 2 chairs if required. You are welcome to bring your own free-standing display boarding etc. to set up within this space.

STANDARD PITCH + SMALL DISPLAY-BOARD: £155 for 2 days - Approximate floor space of 8x4 ft, including a 6x2.5 ft table and up to 2 chairs if required. Includes pre-installed display-board measuring approximately 4x3 ft (total space to display on board, above table height), with legs that make 6.5ft height in total. Includes a flexible hanging system, no spotlights but access to power may be requested.

STANDARD PITCH + LARGE DISPLAY-BOARD: £175 for 2 days - Approximate floor space of 8x4 ft, including a 6x2.5 ft table and up to 2 chairs if required. Includes pre-installed 'bay' style display-board measuring approximately 8x4 ft (total space to display on board, above table height) with legs that make 6.5ft height in total. Includes a flexible hanging system and 2 spotlights.

LARGE/GROUP PITCH: £200 for 2 days - Designed for studio groups/collectives, or for individuals showing larger scale works (i.e furniture) - Approximate floor space of 12x4 ft, including one 6x2.5 ft table and additional 3x3ft table if required, with up to 4 chairs. Does not include pre-installed display-board, but you are welcome to bring your own free-standing display boarding etc. to set up within this space. 

DEMONSTRATION SPACE: a £30 reduction on the above prices, please state your stand preference in your application. May include a small amount of additional space for demonstrations to take place in, to be agreed (no extra space can be given for demonstrations taking place in a Standard Pitch + Large Display-Board space).

Please state which pitch type you would prefer in your application, by selecting either STANDARD ONLY, + SMALL DISPLAY-BOARD, + LARGE DISPLAY-BOARD, or LARGE/GROUP from the drop down menu.

A deposit on your pitch fee will be requested upon successful application and must be paid by Friday 23rd August 2024. No commission will be taken on sales.

How to apply

• Make your submission via Curatorspace, uploading between 4 - 10 good quality images, please include one image of a previous stand display if possible. Please ensure that you upload and attach each image individually. Your application will be judged on your images and information given in your application, so good, clear quality images are essential.
• A non-refundable administration fee of £6 will be required for all submissions. As a volunteer-led charitable organisation, this helps us to cover the administrational costs of carrying out a fair and unbiased selection process with an independent panel of industry professional judges. This administration fee should be paid on the same date you submit your application in order for your application to be considered.
• The £6 administration fee does not guarentee you a place within the Saltaire Makers Fair, all applications are subject to a selection process. Before you submit your application, you will be directed to Curatorspace's secure payment portal in order to make payment of the application fee and to complete your submission.

Who are Saltaire Inspired?

Saltaire Inspired is an ambitious arts charity, creating quality contemporary arts events in unique settings.

We deliver three annual arts events in the World Heritage village of Saltaire, and work towards our vision to help Saltaire become an internationally recognised centre for the visual arts.

We promote and develop artists and their practice, create art and community events in the unique spaces of Saltaire and present exciting and challenging contemporary visual art in accessible settings, inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds to take part. Saltaire Inspired is a registered charity. 

Visit the Saltaire Inspired Website to find out more.  

IMPORTANT NOTE - Before submitting your application, please read the 'Opportunity FAQs' section for full details and requirements for this event. This can be found towards the top of the page, below the event title, by clicking the tab in green text.