The little artisan market that focuses solely on original handmade products, direct from the makers.
About Tissington Craft Fair
My journey as a maker actually began at Tissington Village Hall several years before I started organising makers markets here myself.
During my time as a stallholder I realised that a lot of the people who visited Tissington had a strong appreciation for handmade crafts. However it was clear that they valued the skill and attention to detail that artisan makers could offer whilst products they could easily replicate themselves didn’t always have the same appeal.
When I launched Tissington Craft Fairs in 2022, I wanted to create a makers market that would stand out from the crowd as a destination in its own right, and be known for the high standard of artisan made products on display.
I had often felt that handmade stalls didn’t get the limelight they deserved, with food stalls generally attracting more attention so I was keen that Tissington Craft Fairs would be the place to put makers firmly in the spotlight without any other distractions.
I personally curate each market day to bring together a unique collection of eye catching handmade products that showcase the talent of each individual maker whilst still complimenting the next stall. Each day has a different mix of stalls, with some makers showcasing their work for the full weekend whilst others are only with us for single days.
It may surprise you to know that for the majority of our stallholders their creative business is their full time job. However I firmly believe in recognising that everyone has to start somewhere so am happy to consider applications from stallholders at different stages of their small business journey but the one thing I consistently look for is a high level of quality and skill as this is what makes our artisan market special and appealing to visitors.
Behind the Scenes
I look after every aspect of our makers market, from personally reviewing all of the stallholder applications and curating each market day, to designing and maintaining our website along with our social media. My very patient partner Gareth does give me a hand on the day but other than that there isn’t a team behind Tissington Craft Fair - it’s just me!
During the curation process I take the time to consider each makers individual stall set up and how that will work practically on the day. I also think about the way customers will perceive each stall when they walk in and aim to find the best position for each maker to be clearly seen that will also compliment the stalls around them.
It’s extremely important to me that everything for sale at our artisan market has been handmade by the stallholder themselves or designed using their original artwork. I want our market to be filled with authentic handmade pieces so that our customers can understand the origin of each product and get to know the story behind it.
Tissington
Regarded as one of the prettiest villages in Derbyshire, Tissington is loved for its history and character. Each of our makers markets take place inside Tissington Village Hall which looks out towards the pretty village pond. It’s the perfect spot to take a moment to catch your breath, away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life and there is always a handy seat outside our market, just waiting for you to take in the view.
Tissington Village is also home to several independant businesses including a plant nursery, an artisan candle maker, and a tearoom which includes delicious local produce as part of it’s menu. Best of all the Herberts Fine English Tearoom is only a minutes walk around the corner from our makers market so you can still easilly enjoy a tasty treat as part of your visit.
