Handmade Arcade: Make it!

Vendor Information

Hand Made Arcade is Exeter’s Monthly Indie Art and Makers Fair, featuring hand selected makers and artists from the region, selling affordable unique, handmade crafts, books, zines, figures, jewelery, with an emphasis on environmentally friendly production techniques, up-cycling, re-purposing and vintage.

Hand Made Arcade will be held on the first Saturday of every month and will also include entertainment from local musicians, as well as hands on workshops, make and take sessions from Bunyip beads and buttons, and refreshments from McCoy’s Café.

To Book And Confirm a table at Handmade Arcade

All Handmade Arcade Makers are hand selected by No Guts No Glory. We are looking for makers of contemporary crafts, zines, books, badges etc… things made by hand, locally, by people who care about what they do and do it just because they like to! At No Guts No Glory we have a strong emphasis on the environment and D.I.Y ethics; so anything up-cycled, recycled or environmentally friendly makes us smile.

No Guts No Glory will be providing the tables which cost £10 and are half trestle tables.

If you have only a small case of things to sell we can offer half a table at £5

Alternatively if you would like to book two table tops as you have a lot of things to sell please let us know and we'll see what we can do for you!

To apply for a table top please email handmadearcade@hotmail.co.uk - be sure to include as much as possible about what you would like to sell with pictures and any links. Please send us good quality lovely photos that we can use to promote you on our blog. Handmade Arcade tables can be booked in advance, so please let us know what date you wish to book for on your application! And be sure to include current contact details.

We will announce successful applicants a few weeks before the date of Handmade Arcade from the selection we are sent! Good Luck and Happy Making!

If your application is a winner, we will take a non-refundable payment, and give you a well deserved pat on the back.

We are also looking for local musicians! who are willing to play for cake and tea! We will obviously be promoting your lovely music and you will have the opportunity to be involved in a great new project! If you are interested please send an email to handmadearcade@hotmail.co.uk with any links you may have!

Please Note; The arcade and No Guts No Glory cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to person or property at Handmade Arcade. We are also unable to look after or take responsibility for any items left behind at the event. Sorry.

Location

Handmade Arcade is located in McCoy’s Arcade, Fore Street, Exeter. The Arcade is home to many wonderful shops, including the famous McCoy’s Café and vintage shop. Fore Street is also full of a host of interesting independent shops. There is on street parking but if it’s busy you will find car parks in the streets surrounding Fore Street.

Promotion

We consistently promote Handmade Arcade via our blog and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as regularly flyering and postering in local and regional business’.

No Guts No Glory will also be promoting the event far and wide through local press and art & makers networks, and we invite you to get involved with promotion too! You can invite people to the Facebook group and pick up flyers and posters to distribute yourself from the No Guts No Glory Shop, which is open Monday to Saturday from 10am-5.30pm in McCoy’s Arcade.

This is a D.I.Y event, and to keep the costs down and make everything affordable we prefer a more active and hands-on approach to promotion!

Your Space

Handmade arcade will be occupying the ground floor of McCoy’s Arcade with stalls outside No Guts No Glory and outside the shop fronts within the arcade. The Cafe will be open as usual so refreshments will be available all day long.

McCoys Arcade is a lovely but limited space, so to avoid a table pile-up, Handmade Arcade will be providing 6-foot long trestle tables - they are not the sturdiest of tables so please don't bring any really heavy displays - each single space for £10 is half a trestle table.

Due to the nature of the Arcade we have to specify that makers keep their displays close to their stall to allow for passers by. Please try to have courtesy to other crafty people and try not to overrun their space. We invite all makers to be as creative as they like with their displays, but to keep them contained as much as possible to the table. Please also note that there is no room for wall displays or anything hanging from the walls of the arcade.

Set up & Break Down

The Arcade will be open for vendors to set up from 9.00am on the morning of Handmade Arcade. The event will start at 10:00am and finish at around 5.30pm.

We request that vendors refrain from packing down before 5pm. The arcade will close at 6.30pm, so you will have a good hour to pack all your things away.

Please be mindful of others and make sure that you take all rubbish from the day with you, and tidy up your spot.

Unfortunately we are unable to look after or take responsibility for any items left behind.

What To Bring On the Day

· Handmade things

· A table covering and some nice displays for your creations

· Lots of change

· Promotional material – any flyers, contact details, something with a website etc.

· Bags

· A buddy or two! So you can have a breather and refuel!

· A bag of crafty bits & bobs – masking tape, spare pens, safety pins, string, scissors, needle and thread, notebook, spare card etc.

· Mirror – for jewellery hats and attire

· A bag for rubbish

· A warm Jumper – Although the arcade is undercover it can get a little chilly so make sure you bring a few spare layers!

Handmade Arcade Tips

· Mark prices clearly, and highlight any unique points about the things you make, perhaps a postcard with a few written words about you and what you do.

· Be engaging on the day, no glum faces! And if you are feeling blue McCoy’s Café do a fantastic Hot Chocolate that will turn any frown upside down!

· Make an Inventory of what you’re bringing to avoid leaving anything behind.

· Figure out how the table will look before you arrive, this saves so much time! And this way you can avoid bringing too many things you wont be able to display.

· Remember that presentation is crucial, make your display look interesting and inviting.

· TELL EVERYONE! Do as much self-promotion as you can – tell anyone that has a pair of ears about the event. Use all the social networking sites, and drop by the No Guts No Glory Shop if you would like some posters or flyers to distribute!