This is one shopping date you will want to make sure you have in your diary. Midlands Makers is back for their summer event and you can join them on Saturday 6 July at LCB Depot.
Celebrating the creative community in the Midlands, the event will be packed full of incredible stallholders selling everything from clothing to candles. Whether you’re after a unique gift or a treat for yourself, you’ll be guaranteed to find something special.
We caught up with Nikki, the lady behind Midlands Makers, to find out more about the event.
For anyone new to this, what is Midlands Makers?
Midlands Makers celebrates the creative community in the Midlands via events, markets and online studio features. At our next event, you can shop from over 70 creative small businesses under one roof at our Leicester location. It’s not your usual “craft” fair, its a modern makers market with online stores showing up in real life to trade in bricks and mortar, a really cool sight to behold.
What makes the Midlands Makers events so special?
Our events are made by makers for makers, which creates an exciting buzz within the creative community, attracting some of the best small businesses in the country to trade with us! The energy at the markets is unbeatable, rooms full of locals having fun, showing love and support.
Tell us about some of the traders we should look out for at the next event?
At this next event we’ve launched a print stall featuring some amazing names like local legend Constant Bagel Therapy , Tattoo flash from Holly Ashby and Midlands icon Ellastrated.
In person we’ve got the incredible George Crew Tattooer and Kiah Oh will be painting t-shirts to order live! We’ve got a clothing launch from Klatch Co and custom banners from local legends Banner Dept.
What is your favourite thing about running the event?
I love the atmosphere. We have so many creative people here in the Midlands working beneath the surface and it fills my heart to see them out in the wild being seen. It’s great to see local people coming out to appreciate their work and feel inspired. The event is free but we ask for food donations for Help the Homeless, Leicester as they rely on our donations to keep people that are in need, fed.
Having been an independent maker yourself, what is the best thing and biggest challenge about the job
Times are tough at the moment for independent businesses who need your support now more than ever. We’ve tried to curate this Makers Market with lots of different price points, picking up a £2 sticker / badge is super helpful and appreciated by creatives as much as selling a £30 print! We can all agree that we LOVE seeing people come out to shop and having conversations with like-minded people as we’re often working alone in our studios!
Just how good is the creative/maker scene in Leicester?
Oh, it’s amazing! One of the best in the UK, the creative scene in Leicester was the catalyst for creating this event near 10 years ago now. From makers, to music, to photography, food and more, Leicester is up there with the best!
If you had £30 to spend at Midlands Makers… What would you buy?
Oh wow. I wouldn’t know where to start! I do have my eyes on some of Holly Ashby’s prints, so those and/or probably an Eat with Aunties apple crumble samosa, although to be honest.. i’ve never left a market without buying one of Only Enso’s candles – they smell DIVINE! I don’t know how my bank balance will cope with running the print stall this year, the talented artists we have involved in this event are beyond belief!
Midlands Makers takes place at LCB Depot, Rutland Street, LE1 on Saturday 6 July from 1pm – 5pm. The event is free but visitors are asked to bring a food bank donation with them. Suggested donations include anything that can be made with a kettle / dry goods ready to eat with a long shelf life, and/or feminine hygiene products.
Keep up to date with Midlands Makers on Instagram @midlandsmakers.
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