The Art Quarter Winter Market is back at Metquarter next month

An indoor Christmas market is coming to Metquarter this December featuring more than 50 fantastic local makers.

The market is being put on by The Art Quarter, a collective of artists from Liverpool and Wirral based inside Metquarter.

It will showcase the work of dozens of creatives, not only those who usually sell through the shop, giving shoppers a chance to find unique gifts and to meet the people who made them.

The first Art Quarter Market took place last Christmas and was such a success that they organised a second in the summer.

Artist and print maker Karen Edwards says it’s an opportunity for makers to get their work seen by a wider audience and for buyers to shop local when they’re ticking off their Christmas list.

She explains: “As a group of artists, we’re aware of how difficult it is to get your work out there on the high street. We’ve all been doing markets for years and it was suggested we could have one in the Metquarter because it’s the perfect location and it’s undercover which is a bonus.

“We worked with the Metquarter and planned one for April 2020, but then obviously we had lockdown so the first one actually happened last Christmas. We had such good feedback after that we decided to do another one this summer, because you need to get out there all the time if you want to build up a following for your work, and it was absolutely brilliant so now we’re bringing it back again.”

Stalls will take over the top floor of the centre, with more on the ground floor. There’ll be live music, demonstrations and free workshops for children where they can make something to take home.

The Hope Foundation, a charity based in Anfield, will also be there to offer free gift wrapping on the day in return for donations.

Karen says having the market gives a wide range of makers a chance to sell their work. Included in the 50 stalls already confirmed are jewellery, the Handyman brewery, locally made honey, candles, ceramics and skincare, as well as artists selling cards and prints.

The date of the market, Saturday December 2, coincides with Small Business Saturday so it’s a day when people are already likely to be in town and supporting local shops.

“There’ll be lots going on during day, the market is on from 11am to 5pm, and it’s free because we realise people want to be able to come in, have a little look around, a think and a cup of tea, and then maybe go into town and come back.

“We just want to encourage as many people as possible to buy something unique from a local independent maker rather than off the shelf from a big national company.

“A lot of makers are doing it from their kitchen table and getting family members involved so they have a real love of making and this market is a chance to support that.”