Visitors to the Darwin Centre were able to enjoy a very different retail experience last week thanks to the return of Shropshire Artisan Showcase which, now in its third year, brought fresh energy to the high street while supporting the county’s growing creative sector.

The six-day ‘pop-up’ once again gave a new cohort of local designer-makers the opportunity to test their products in a live retail setting, gaining hands-on experience of trading in a busy town centre location.

Organised by the Shropshire Growth Hub in collaboration with Buy-From Creative Agency and Darwin Shopping Centre, the programme continues to highlight how targeted business support can help creative businesses to confidently enter the retail market.

Customers had the opportunity to explore an impressive selection of locally crafted goods, including ceramics, jewellery, textiles, illustrations, and fine art.

Learning and Inspiration from Previous Years

This year’s participants benefited from meeting and learning from artisans who had taken part in previous showcases. Zoe from Mustard and Grey, a member of the 2024 cohort, commented:

“It was so lovely to meet this year’s Artisan Showcase group and hear all about their brilliant ideas and businesses.

Being part of the showcase gave us such a boost, not just as a business, but personally too. We came away with new friends, fresh confidence, and lots of laughs along the way. Wishing this year’s cohort a fantastic experience!”

Business Skills and Support

Anna Sadler from the Shropshire Growth Hub stated:

“We are delighted to be able to offer this programme again. All our artisans are exceptionally talented and creative, but managing a business requires a completely different set of skills.

This initiative provides a secure environment that enables participants to take the next step into seeing what’s required to sell their products in a challenging retail setting.”

Lasting Impact for Artisans

This year’s artisans all agreed on the positive and lasting impact of the experience, from increased confidence to strengthening their businesses.

Rach of Rach Lloyd Press said,

“The whole process has allowed us to examine our businesses in detail, and to put feedback into action – it has been fantastic to be granted the time and resources to build a stronger brand identity and to get to grips with many aspects of running a business.”

Growth and Transformation

Jessica Ralph, from Buy-From Creative Agency, who partnered with the Shropshire Growth Hub to organise the event, said:

“One of the most rewarding parts of this programme has been watching the shift in confidence from day one to showcase week. Many of these businesses started out feeling nervous about stepping into retail, so seeing them now talking to customers, sharing their stories and proudly presenting their work has been incredibly special.”

Wider Economic Benefits

Cllr Alex Wagner, Deputy Leader and Shropshire Council’s new Cabinet Member for Transformation and Economic Growth, commented:

“As well as supporting individual businesses, this showcase highlights the wider role of creative enterprise in animating high streets and driving footfall. Now in its third year, the initiative is becoming an important part of Shropshire’s business support offer, helping turn creative talent into sustainable enterprise.”

Notes to Editors

The Shropshire Growth Hub is part of Invest in Shropshire at Shropshire Council. It provides information and support for businesses in the Shropshire Local Authority area. It runs an extensive yearly calendar of free events and webinars and offers advice on grants, loans, and assistance for companies of any size or sector, from start-ups to established enterprises.

The main contract funding the work of the Shropshire Growth Hub is the Marches Growth Hub (MGH) core funding through the Department for Business and Trade.