Christmas Design & Learning Market

With an estimated footprint of approximately 2,000 people daily, this is an exciting opportunity for designers and makers to reach new customers among the museum’s diverse audiences.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

This will be a market with a 'learning' twist. We seek designers and makers who are willing to share their processes and practices behind the scenes with our audiences. To be eligible to sell your products at this event, you must present a 'Learning Display' along with the products you'll be selling. This can be materials and images that give a sense of your creative process, such as photos, sketches, drawings, a mood board, or anything that will illustrate what it takes to produce your wonderful designs.

We ask that all stallholders be friendly and happy to talk to visitors about their creative processes, answer questions, and (when applicable) do basic demos to inspire people’s creativity and appreciation of their products. The museum is a welcoming learning space.

We will select creatives and/or brands with brands with inspiring design proposals driven by ethical, climate-conscious values. The museum's own retail range prioritises sellers who ensure workforce welfare and sustainable production. You can find out more about the museum's values and commitments here.

Please read the FAQ below before you apply. We look forward to receiving your application!

What sort of makers and traders are you looking for?
We're looking to showcase exciting small and independent brands with original design, handmade processes, high-quality standards and sustainability at their heart. Importantly, we are looking for friendly designers and makers who are happy to share background information, have conversations with the audiences about their creative processes, and even do a little demo when possible.

What is included in the stall fee?
Your market stall fee includes the use of one table (only), which we will provide, along with two chairs. From October 2024, we'll mention the participants' businesses in our 'Christmas Design & Learning Market' marketing communications, including social media channels with over 5 million followers and newsletter inclusions to our list of 60 thousand subscribers. You'll also benefit from the support of our Assistant Curator of Public Programmes to help you articulate the Learning display for your stall. You'll also have access to a storage area for the day and benefit from a high average number of visitors.

What is the stall fee?
The cost for the day is £85. We don’t charge any percentage over sales.

What should my Learning Display include?
This will be a small and simple part of your stall, and can include:
– Printed photos of your studio, of your materials, of you making the products, equipment, etc.
– Videos or photo slides.
– Sketches, drawings, renders, design notes.
– Samples, swatches, materials, tools, etc.
– Mood boards
Our Learning team will help you articulate your display. The museum will cover the costs associated with your Learning Display (specifically photography and image printing, cork boards or other materials, etc.) within reason.

Is there a product price cap?
No, but we advise that you bring products with a price point under £200. This advice is based on our retail performance data.

Can I bring a helper with me?
You can bring one person (only) to help you. Your helper must be 18+, with no exceptions.

Do I need insurance to trade in this market?
Yes. You must have Public Liability Insurance (PLI) in the event of an accident, to cover you and your customers. We won't be able to secure your table unless you are insured.

How can I apply?
Please fill in the Application Form available on this page before the deadline, which is Thursday 29 August, until 18:00. We will get in touch with the selected businesses by Sunday 1 September to follow up. Please keep an eye on your spam folder too, just in case. Due to limited capacity, we are not able to contact unsuccessful applicants this time or provide feedback. If we haven’t gotten in touch by Monday 2 September, please assume that your application was unsuccessful.

Is the market free for the public to attend?
Yes. Visitors will be able to book free tickets via our website. This will give us a better idea of how many people will attend the event and the regular visitors we expect on that day.

Do I need a payment terminal? Do you provide one?
We recommend that you bring a card payment terminal of your choice. We do not provide payment terminals, and you’ll need to bring your own. Please note that the whole museum, including our shops, cafes and ticket desk, only accepts card payments, so we are unable to provide any change.

Do you have parking available?
We have a small number of parking spaces available, which will be raffled among all sellers for fairness. If you do not get one, there are six car parks around the museum that you can use.

I would like to have a stall, but I also need a rail. Can you accommodate this?
Due to space limitations, we will only be able to accommodate a very small number of stalls with a rail. Please specify this requirement in your application. In case you are selected, we cannot provide the rail, you will need to bring your own.

What if I have been selected and agreed to book a table, but I can no longer attend?
We are unable to offer refunds.

If you have any further enquiries, please get in touch with learning@designmuseum.org

Background image by Svitlanka Dlinnaya/Unsplash.