DRAWING focus to the talent of local makers and creators is what the Swan Hill Town Hall Twilight Arts Market will be all about next weekend.
The idea for the Twilight Market came from Dandy Lion Studio co-owner Nina McNamara, along with her business partner Wendy Bett, who initially introduced “Meet the Makers” markets to the area as a way to showcase local and regional makers and creators.
“We started creating these boutique Meet the Makers pop-up markets to give local creators an outlet, because there is a lot of people who are very clever, very talented, but don’t have anywhere to go,” Ms McNamara told The Guardian.
“Some of them do markets, some of them have not even considered putting themselves out there, so we try to give them some encouragement to just put themselves out there.”
After hosting some successful markets, Ms McNamara was approached by Swan Hill Town Hall venue manager Simon Myers to curate a Meet the Makers market at the Town Hall.
“We will still be about meeting the makers, so you have to be the main producer of your own product, whatever that may be,” Ms McNamara said.
“We didn’t want to make it specific about the visual arts or anything like that – we called it the arts market just to keep it open and to invite everybody.”
There will be around 25 stallholders at the market, with a few well-known local makers as well as people coming from Mildura, Bendigo, Moulamein and other areas.
Live music and entertainment will be playing throughout the afternoon and food will be available.
There will also be a mural activity, which will be in collaboration with the screening of the animation created by local teenagers in free workshops hosted by local animator Kim Deylen.
“We’re hoping that this is going to be the first, and that there will be future events coming and that people appreciate having some more arts and crafts in the area,” Ms McNamara said.
The Swan Hill Twilight Arts Market will be held at the Swan Hill Town Hall on Saturday, February 25, from 4pm to 8pm.
While free tickets are able to be booked through the Swan Hill Town Hall website, people will be able to walk in on the day.
