World Art Day on 15th April is a global celebration of creativity, imagination, and cultural expression. While Market Drayton may not have a specific event planned for the day, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on and appreciate the wonderful arts and culture scene that thrives in our town.
One of the driving forces behind Market Drayton’s vibrant arts community is Creative Drayton. This initiative grew out of the Market Drayton Arts Festival, which for over a decade brought culture, creativity, and artistic opportunities to the town. When the time came to evolve, Creative Drayton was born—a community-led movement dedicated to supporting local artists, makers, and small creative businesses.
Sarah Huggins, one of the passionate organisers of Creative Drayton, shares how this journey began: “The Market Drayton Arts Festival had been running in various forms for 10 years, and this felt like a natural time to review what was happening and how we could best support art and creativity in town. Suzanne Edwards was a driving force in Arts Fest, including starting the annual calendar competition for schools. This is one aspect which continues and goes from strength to strength and really encourages children and young people to be creative.”
Sarah continues: “As part of the Arts Fest team, I had been involved in running the Creative Drayton event, which was a craft fair to bring local makers together. I was keen to expand this and provide more support for local makers and artists. I linked with two other local creatives, Kimberly and Denise, and from there, the new Creative Drayton journey began.”
The Creative Drayton project is all about fostering a space where local artists and makers can thrive. It’s about supporting each other, learning from one another, and collaborating to make the arts scene in Market Drayton stronger. Creative Drayton meets regularly to discuss the joys and challenges of running a small creative business. Topics covered range from using social media to growing your online presence, and sometimes outside experts are invited to share their expertise. As Sarah explains, “We also have a Creative Drayton website and social media presence, which we use to promote our individual businesses as well as the Creative Drayton group.”
One of the major highlights of Creative Drayton‘s efforts so far has been the launch of the Artisan Trail. This event was an incredible success, allowing local makers to showcase their work in their own studios or in locations around town, such as the library. People were able to follow a map and discover the creative talent in Market Drayton.
They also organised taster workshops offering local residents the chance to try their hand at something creative at an affordable cost in the run-up to Christmas.
“Last year, we held our first Artisan Trail, which was a great success. Some of our makers were based at their own studios, while others had locations in town. People were able to follow the trail map to come and find out more about the members of Creative Drayton,” says Sarah.
Looking ahead, there are even bigger plans in the works. “We are planning to run the Artisan Trail again on Saturday, 30th August. It will be bigger and better this year, with more artists and makers involved. Watch out for maps and other details soon,” says Sarah, full of excitement. The trail will continue to bring the community together while celebrating the talent that Market Drayton has to offer.
Sarah is also thrilled about the potential for a new creative space in town, though she’s keeping the details under wraps for now. “We are also working on having a creative space in town. I can’t say too much at the moment, but as soon as everything is in place, I will let you know!”
For those wanting to get involved, Creative Drayton is always eager to welcome new members. Whether you’re already running your own creative business, offering workshops, or just starting to explore your artistic side, there’s a place for you. “We love to hear from potential new members. If you’re already selling things you create or run workshops, we would love to hear from you. If you’re creative, but don’t yet have a business but would like to, we can help with that too,” Sarah encourages. “You can find out more on the website www.creativedrayton.com or email us at info@creativedrayton.com.”
Sarah’s passion for the future of the arts in Market Drayton shines through in her hopes for the community. She believes there’s so much untapped talent in the area, and she hopes that more opportunities will arise for people to share their creativity. “Having been involved in arts and creativity for a few years in Market Drayton, I am amazed by the amount of talent and creativity local people have. In the future, I hope there will be lots of opportunities for people to share their talents in different ways. There are also lots of people who feel they aren’t artistic or creative, so I hope there will be chances for them to have a go and realise what is possible.”
Supporting local artists, according to Sarah, is crucial to ensuring the arts continue to thrive in our town. It doesn’t always have to mean buying pieces, but even something as simple as a positive comment, a like on social media, or a share can help boost an artist’s confidence. “Being an artist or maker has many positives, but it can be really tough. It’s great if you can buy pieces from a local creator, but we know that isn’t always possible. Even if you can’t make a purchase, making a positive comment on people’s work can really help boost how an artist or maker feels. Liking and sharing on social media is also really helpful, and it helps to raise people’s profile.”
Market Drayton is fortunate to have such a vibrant creative community, and there’s always something going on to spark your imagination. Whether it’s through the Market Drayton Art Club, the Festival Drayton Centre, or Creative Drayton’s events, there are endless ways to get involved and experience the creative energy of the town.
