DURING June Bents Garden & Home will be hosting Curated Makers, comprising 34 of the North’s best creative makers.
Throughout June, the pop-up will showcase a wide selection of handcrafted, artisan products and stories of local talent, offering a wide array of goods from artwork, gifts, homewares, jewellery, baby + children, clothing, dog accessories, candles, cards, stationery and more.
Located in Bents’ card and gift department, near to the centre’s main entrance, the pop-up event will be in residence throughout the month of June (ending 30th June), operating as per Bents’ usual opening hours.
Matthew Bent, Managing Director of Bents Garden & Home said: “As a family business we have always been keen to support local suppliers and small independents so the opportunity to host Curated Makers was too good to miss. The love and time that has gone into these products makes them all that little bit extra special, which is something we love here at Bents. We hope our customers will enjoy the experience and help support these creative makers.”
Curated Makers brings together and champions makers, artists and designers from across the North of England via collaborative pop ups. Having launched in November 2017, Megan Jones of Curated Makers started the brand as a market-stall concept and quickly grew to showcase within Debenhams on Market Street in Manchester, for 5 weeks over the Summer of 2018, supporting 45 local businesses under one roof.
The concept has now been brought to Bents where customers of the can enjoy browsing and buying products from makers including laser-cut flowers made by Helen of Betsy & Els, hand-drawn landscape illustrations by Christopher Walster, hand-painted banners for the home by Stacey of Darwin & Gray, engraved vintage cutlery by Siobhan of One Mama One Shed, jewellery made from recycled guitar strings crafted by Karen of String Effects to name just a few of the talented creatives on board at this pop up event.
Founder, Megan Jones, makes it her priority to create new and innovative trading opportunities by providing a platform for small businesses and larger retailers to collaborate via retail pop ups. She says, “I want to surprise people, offer something exciting to them. My key driving force is to offer an unexpected, engaging and beautiful experience for the customer, the makers and for the retailer. It really is a win-win for all involved.”
With small businesses being the driving force behind everything Megan embodies, it’s positive to see that the makers involved are strong advocates of this innovative concept that has taken the North’s creative world by storm.
Comments from the makers….
“The makers Megan discovers and her eye for detail in display and marketing I feel very confident my work is in safe hands.” Nichola Naylon of Irene + Edith (www.instagram.com/ireneandedith)
“Megan has been great to work with and through her hard work promoting the event and her creative curation, the pop-up event was extremely successful. I’m really looking forward to working with Curated Makers in the future.” Michael Wylie of Sketchbook Design (www.instagram.com/sketchbookdesign_uk)
“Professional, friendly, approachable, and extremely keen to help makers promote and sell their work. I really can’t speak highly enough of the organisation and not only has it boosted sales for me, but followers too. So anyone who is thinking in joining, do! You are in a great crowd of makers and in safe hands.” Christopher Walster
Not only do Curated Makers offer new trading opportunities for creatives, they also support the creative community with regular free meet-up events and are hosting a creative business conference later this year, Creatival, at Manchester’s prestigious venue, Manchester Hall. To find out more about what Curated Makers has to offer, where their upcoming events are at and how to get involved. Find out more here:
Website: www.curatedmakers.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/curatedmakers
Twitter: twitter.com/CuratedMakers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CuratedMakers
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meganemilyjones
E-Mail: Megan Jones, Founder – [email protected]
