At The Guild Dumfries, we aim to provide visitors to Dumfries Makers Market and any other markets and project we organise with a diverse range of makers, creatives, independent businesses, food and beverage producers, with an emphasis on quality, regional and seasonal produce. Over the last couple of years, we’ve built a strong reputation in the community as a key platform for emerging and more established business owners to gain exposure and develop a brand presence.

Taking part is a great way for you and your business to interact directly with new and existing audiences, gain face-to-face feedback about your products and services and also we hope have some fun being part of our creative community while your work.

To ensure we continue to maintain our reputation, we take care and commitment throughout our entire application process. The Guild Dumfries will review each and every application thoughtfully, and we don't take it lightly. It’s a serious business and a big job! If you’ve never applied to be involved in one of events before, please don’t be scared! We LOVE to hear from new makers and happy to give advice before you make an application. We’re keen to support all of our traders, both fledgling and the more experienced. We hope we have provided extensive information regarding our application process as well as application criteria. 

Our selection process is based upon on our criteria below, please take the time to read through it and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions or need further advice. If you would like to know more about our Terms & Condition’s, including the finer details and costs etc you can read all about them by scrolling further down this page.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WITHIN APPLICATIONS

• Independent designs, or products of a handmade nature should be original and creative, of the absolute highest quality, finished to the highest standards. You must show a high level of professionalism in your work and an obvious commitment to your creative practice and your business.

• Consistency between your work and brand as a cohesive story.

• You must hand make or small batch produce your work, designs must be your own and the majority of elements made by or designed by yourself. We will not accept applications from people who assemble pre-existing products, mass-produced items, or work that has not been designed / produced by the person making the application.

• Your online presence, products and brand should be considered, well designed and aesthetically appealing. Presentation should be considered and you should display your products/services to their fullest potential.

• Creative and original designs and products must be designed and/or handmade by you, and not sourced in an unethical way. If the product is not handmade it must be made ethically and sustainably. If it is made elsewhere we prioritise products that are fair-trade, made in support of local communities, sweatshops free, cruelty free and created with an environmental conscience. 

• Items sold should have a wide range of prices to appeal to a variety of shoppers; our events are promoted as affordable and accessible to all pockets.

• You must be able to provide a minimum of 4 high quality and clear images of your work.
 

• Food providers should have a food offering that makes the most of the produce in season using fresh, local or Scottish, sustainable and nutritionally balanced produce and highlighting healthy options where available.

• Ensure food provided meets legal food and hygiene standards. Evidence of Registration as a Food Business with your local authority and a copy of your Basic Food Hygiene Certificate is neccessary as part of the application process.

• As part of the Green Arts Initiative, Dumfries Makers Market aims to promote zero waste to reduce their environmental impact. Therefore, we encourage all our traders to consider their carbon footprint, the recycling of food waste and the use environmentally friendly packaging.

• If you're a returning trader, you must demonstrate how your work has progressed since participating in any past events. You must demonstrate that you’re offering new products, or have developed variations on designs in order to keep our Makers Market fresh and exciting for our returning customers and visitors.

The Guild Dumfries are really looking forward to organising Dumfries Makers Market this year in the heart of Dumfries town centre. If you'd love to be involved, you'll need to APPLY and complete an online application form for each event. Before you do, don't forget to read all the information which includes our APPLICATION CRITERIA above and all the finer details below. By taking part at our market at Dumfries Makers Market you are confirming you agree with The Guild (Dumfries) C.I.C terms and conditions, which have been put together to protect your business, The Guild (Dumfries) C.I.C and our visitors.

PAYMENT

We will send you all the details you need to make payment if your application is successful, please do NOT send payment with your application form. The Guild Dumfries can receive payment in advance by bank transfer, details of which will be included within your acceptance email. Payment will be required by a date specified in the acceptance email. Your booking is not secure until full payment has been made and copies of all required documents have been received by the deadline. If payment has not been received before the payment deadline stated in your acceptance mail, your selling space at the market will be allocated to another business on our waiting list. Bookings are non transferable.

COST

There are a variety of different types of trading spaces both indoors and outdoors available at our Makers Market from 11am until 4pm.

STANDARD INDOOR SPACE ONLY - TABLE & CHAIRS NOT INCLUDED | £35

You will be given a space that accomodates a 2ft by 6ft table and a chair. You are required to provide your own tables, chairs etc. You can of course bring along different sized tables, hanging rails, easels and display shelving as long as this fits within your allocated space.

LARGE INDOOR SPACE ONLY - TABLE & CHAIRS NOT INCLUDED | £65 (LIMITED)

You will be given a space that accomodates 2 x 6ft by 2ft tables and a chair. You are required to provide your own tables, chairs etc. You can of course bring along different sized tables, hanging rails, easels and display shelving as long as this fits within your allocated space.

SHARED INDOOR MARKET SPACE ONLY - TABLE & CHAIRS NOT INCLUDED | £25

We will be offering the opprortunity of sharing an market space to businesses. You will be given a space to share that accomodates a 2ft by 6ft table and a chair. You are required to provide your own tables, chairs etc. PLEASE NOTE | Both applicants must apply and be accepted to trade.

CHARITY INDOOR MARKET SPACE - TABLE & CHAIRS NOT INCLUDED | £25

You will be given a space that accomodates a 6ft by 2ft table and a chair. You are required to provide your own tables, chairs etc. You can of course bring along different sized tables, hanging rails, easels and display shelving as long as this fits within your allocated space.

STANDARD OUTDOOR GAZEBO SPACE - GAZEBO INCLUDED | £45 (LIMITED)

A 3m by 3m gazebo will be included with this space. You are required to provide your own tables, chairs etc. You can of course bring along different sized tables, hanging rails, easels and display shelving as long as this fits within your 3m x 3m gazebo allocated space.

STANDARD OUTDOOR GAZEBO SPACE  - PITCH ONLY | £35

At our outdoor PITCH ONLY SPACE you are required to provide your own weighted gazebo, tables, chairs etc. These needs to fit within you're allocated space of 3m by 3m.

SHARED OUTDOOR GAZEBO SPACE - GAZEBO & TABLES INCLUDED | £30

We will also offer the opportunity of sharing market stalls to businesses, a great low cost investment to take part if you are a fledgling business. A 3m by 3m gazebo will be included with this space and 2 x 6ft by 2ft tables. You can of course bring along different sized tables, hanging rails, easels and display shelving as long as this fits within your allocated space.

PLEASE NOTE | Both applicants must apply and be accepted to trade.

CHARITY OUTDOOR GAZEBO SPACE  - PITCH ONLY | £25

At our PITCH ONLY CHARITY SPACE you are required to provide your own weighted gazebo, tables, chairs etc. These needs to fit within you're allocated space of 3m by 3m.

As a social enterprise, any additional profits made from each event will be re-invested into developing the types of facilities, projects, events, activities and opportunities our community and town needs.

SET-UP & BREAKDOWN

You will be sent more specific details of set up and breakdown information if your application is successful, and when payment and documentation have been received by us.

The positioning of stalls is the decision of the organiser. Stalls cannot be moved on the day. Stallholders MUST NOT pack away before the event has ended. We ask all stallholders to keep all bags, suitcases, boxes etc under their stall and hidden by your table covering. All walkways should be kept clear at all times throughout the event.

MARKETING & PR

As part of the organisation of this event, The Guild will undertake publicity and media coverage that targets Dumfries and the surrounding region effectively. We promote the event on our social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We will also promote the event on our website, blog, to our mailing list and within our network of organisations, partners and supporters. We will release announcements and information to press and media, publish the event on online calendars, do extensive marketing on social media as well as place posters and flyers around the region leading up to the event. On the run up to the event and on market day, we will be showcasing the work and the stories of our community of traders.

We also encourage and assist our makers to get the most out of taking part in our event and promoting their involvement, so that as a community we can work together and help attract as many customers as possible to come along and visit us on Market day. We send successful applicants a series of emails in the run up to the event. We provide makers with a media kit with logos, graphics & canva templates that can be used in the promotion of the event. We wish to encourage shared partnerships to deliver a cohesive and consistent approach to marketing our event.

As part of being a trader at our events we also have a dedicated directory on our website to boost their profile. Every maker listing has an image and links to their websites or social media to increase their exposure. They will remain on our website ensuring maximum promotion outside of event dates.

During the run up and during the event itself, we aim to create a visual presence around the location to attract passing trade, we will also be filming and posting both videos and images on social media throughout the set up and on the day to give followers a behind the scenes experience of our project.

THEFT & LIABILITY

The Guild (Dumfries) C.I.C take no responsibility for loss or damage to you, your products or belongings during the event. The Guild will not be held liable for any thefts or accidents that may arise during set up, trading hours and breakdown of the market. It is your responsibility as a business to have suitable Product & Public Liability Insurance.

If more than one employee will be working at your stall during the trading hours of the event you will also be expected to have Employee Liability Insurance.  The team at The Guild will make every effort to prevent any incidents. However, we cannot be held responsible if theft or damage does occur. You will need to provide us with a copy of all insurances if your application is successful and when payment is required.

FOOD SAFETY

At any of our events, food & drink safety is important. You will need to provide us with copies of the following documents during the application application process, if applicable.

• Food Hygiene Certificate/s.

• Food Hygiene Rating.

• Details of the local authority you are registered with.​

• Gas safety check documents (if operating with gas).

• Electrical Safety Documents (we require all electrical equipment to be PAT tested).

REFUND & CANCELLATIONS

A full refund of the stall fee will be given if cancellation is made within 21 days of your payment and booking. No refund will be given if you fail to notify us of a cancellation or do not show up at the event. If a cancellation is made after 21 days, we will of course try our best to fill your space if you cannot take part in the event. You will be charged in full if a replacement cannot be found. Please be aware of the time and administration required to re advertise your space at the market.

The Guild Dumfries shall be under no liability for delay or failure to provide any services as a result of any act or circumstances beyond reasonable control included and not limited to, changes to goverment policy regarding Covid-19 outbreak, bad weather conditions, failure to power supply, injury, terrorism, fire, war, lock out or strike.

FEEDBACK & EVALUATION

As part of your involvement in this event we ask that all successful traders provide us with feedback about your participation and let us know your experience of being involved. You will be required to complete an online evaluation form and submit by a deadline date. Gathering your feedback is crucial, it provides us with a better understanding of what you thought about taking part, what impact its had on you, your business and where we may be able to provide support and training to raise your profiles, upskill and grow your business in the future. It helps us to identify what we did right and where improvements can be made. The feedback also allows us to provide evidence to potential funders, stakeholders and others.

FRIENDS OF THE GUILD

We ask that all successful traders become FRIENDS OF THE GUILD so that you are showing your support for The Guild (Dumfries) C.I.C. It also allows us to show potential funders, stakeholders and others that the community supports the work that we are doing.

WHAT WE’D LIKE YOU TO DO

Dumfries Makers Market is an exciting community event, designed specifically to promote our aims and vision but also to promote your work and business. We want customers who come along on market day to know the makers and people behind the marvellous products they purchase. We want them to get to know you a little better and create profiles for our community of makers taking part. To do this and to help us sell your products effectively we will need a few things from you. More details will be sent to you if your application is successful.

If you are successful, we would also like businesses and organisations to promote their attendance at Dumfries Makers Market, let your mailing list know, post details or share e-flyers on social media, your blog and website. We would also be keen for you to distribute printed posters and flyers. We happily invite you to send us content, social media posts and images that can be used in the run up to the event and to share your story.

By taking part in Dumfries Makers Market, you are agreeing to these terms & conditions above. Space is limited at this event so if your application is unsuccessful this time, please don't be disheartened or take it personally.  We want to provide visitors and customers with a mix of sellers and disciplines and an alternative shopping experience.