FAQ’s
Q: Where should I park if visiting or trading at the Artsmix Market in Leeds?
A: With our market being in the city centre there are great public transport links to get you into town, but if you do need to bring your car there are a number of car parks close by, NCP The Core is the nearest and they offer slightly reduced rates if you download their NCP ParkPass App, though a days parking there will still be around £16. You’ll need to download their ParkPass App in advance though – check out their website for details https://www.ncp.co.uk/parking-solutions/ncpparkpass/ One of the cheapest, about a 10 minute walk away, is Trafalgar Street Car Park, LS2 7BF, see: http://www.trafalgarstreetcarpark.com/
Q: What do you need to do to be able to trade at an Artsmix Market?
A: You need to produce and design your own work, be fully insured and have submitted an application form along with images of your work and details of your insurance. We will let you know within a week if your application has been successful.
Q: How much does a stall cost?
A: From £70 at the start of the year up to £95 as we get near Christmas – if you take out Enhanced Membership there are also some discounts at certain times of the year.
Q: Can I claim part of my fees back if the weather is bad and I have poor trading day?
A: No, unfortunately we can’t control the weather or the impact it has on shoppers. That said traders have reported some very busy days in poor weather. In fact as city centre shopping is somewhat of a poor weather activity a rainy day can be more lucrative than a really sunny one, when people garden, head for the coast or just the pub.
Q: What is the footfall like on the day?
A: Whilst we don’t have any specific statistics for footfall on a market day we are located in a busy pedestrianised part of the City Centre very close (50 yards) from one of the main (and probably the busiest) entrances to the fabulous Trinity Centre and Marks & Spencer. Even on a bad weather day there are literally thousands of shoppers walking down. The fact that a great number of our traders can be found on the majority of our markets confirms that there are plenty of passing shoppers, with money to spend.
Q: How often are people’s memberships turned down?
A: It is rare we would flatly refuse membership. We would like to feel we are supported of all creative people, so there may be occasions where we might suggest how potential traders might develop their work to better fit the market. Equally there may be occasions where we actually meet up to look at the sort of work you are looking to sell. Please note this quality control process is in place to be supportive and to give you the best opportunity to profit from trading with us. If we are in any doubt about the fact your work is self produced we may also ask for further supporting evidence.
Q; Can alcohol be sold at the market if it is self-produced?
A: No, we can not permit the sale of alcohol.
Q: How quickly do the markets get booked up?
A: In 2023 we sold out all stalls in the first two weeks that bookings opened (in February), with some dates filling within a couple of days.
Q: Do you operate waiting lists?
A: Yes, once a date (or discipline) is fully booked we will run waiting lists and do not charge to add people to these as long as they have submitted membership forms and have been accepted.
Q: What do I need to bring with me on the day?
A: You need a base sheet for the trading table part your stall and don’t forget they are quite big – we would recommend at least 10 foot by 6 foot as you’ll need to tuck it in to hold it in place (and note that white really isn’t a serviceable colour), it’s also a good idea to bring an old cloth too just in case the table tops are wet and need a wipe down before putting you cloth on. Give some thought to other ways of making your stall more attractive too – take a look at some of the images on our social media sites as they may give you some further ideas.
You’ll need to be sure you have plenty of stock as Albion Place is very busy and it’s a long trading day, some illumination for your stall (particularly essential in winter months) will help. Many traders bring tarpaulin back-sheets for their stalls too to protect against the elements and for added security – though please make sure these can be secured and in heavy wind these would need to be dropped as they can turn stalls into kites! Traders are also encouraged to bring extra weights it’s likely to be windy, as long as they aren’t trip hazards for others – please note though if things are looking like being really windy (gusting over 35mph) we would cancel the market for safety reasons.
It’s also a good idea to have some flyers or business cards too and it could be worthwhile updating your Facebook page before you trade too. Think about money security too – a money belt is a much safer idea than a cash tin, please don’t opperate from a cash tin and a card reader will help you maximise sales and it’s safe too.
Q: Can I access electricity on site?
A: No, but you can bring your own generator if you need it and as long as it doesn’t cause an obstruction and it’s silent and non-polluting, though for lighting most just use rechargeable lights or run some off a car battery.
Q: How many people/staff can I have on my stall?
A: Many traders go it alone, whereas others prefer to have someone with them for at least part of the day if not all of it. We neither stipulate nor restrict the numbers but things will get crowded if there’s more than 3 of you. Please note, particularly when the weather gets colder it is good if someone can relieve you for half an hour so you can nip off and enjoy a warm coffee indoors.
Q: Where are the nearest loo’s?
A: Most people tend to use the ones in the nearby Core or Trinity Shopping Centres, neighbouring traders will normally keep an eye on your stall for you when you need to nip off, though can’t be held responsible.
Q: What time does the market run
A: We operate on a Saturday from 10:30 – 18:30. Traders should arrive between 08:00 & 09:30 to ensure they have their vehicles off site by 10:00 and that they are set up ready to trade by 10:30 at the latest. Vehicles can not get back on site until 19:00, due to the City Centre Barriers that enforce the Traffic Restriction Order, which prevents anything other than emergency vehicle accesses in the pedestrianised heart of the City Centre during the day.
Q: How big are the stalls?
A: The actual table top is 10 feet wide and 4 feet deep – many first-time traders get caught out by this as many similar stalls are 8 feet by 3 feet (significantly smaller) please note this when picking a cover for your table top too. Full details of the stalls can be found in the Trader information section of the website, under General Market/Stall Information.