Herts Visual Arts Launches New Makers Fair

Following the continued success of their July Big Art Fair for Hertfordshire, Herts Visual Arts’ (HVA) first public art event in 2021 is the brand new Big Makers Fair showcasing Hertfordshire artisan makers. Originally conceived as a vibrant weekend-long in-person affair on Saturday/Sunday 20/21 March, the Makers Fair is designed to bring a positive focus to artists, their art/skills and the visiting public alike after a year of formal health-related restrictions.

Responding to the ongoing health situation, HVA is now launching their inaugural Big Makers Fair as a month-long virtual art extravaganza celebrating Spring alongside member artists and their work. Building on last year’s Virtual Open Studios, Christmas Showcase and Winter Exhibition, the Big Makers Fair 2021 will again focus on video,

On Saturday/Sunday 20/21 March, Herts Visual Arts will live-stream artist tours and presentations, enabling visitors to experience live-media, video and more on HVA and other social media accounts. Throughout March, the Big Makers Fair on Herts Visual Arts website will showcase creativity through an exhibition, gallery tour, videos (meet the maker, studio tours, artists at work) flipbook/video and social media live. Participating artists will be using the hashtag #BigMakersFair, collated onto the HVA social media wall.

Herts Visual Arts events are run by and for HVA members: artists and designer-makers across Hertfordshire. Moving online for Open Studios 2020 paved the way for a lively 2021 HVA calendar as they continue to bring art into the heart of our communities, all the while supporting the individual art journeys of professional and amateur visual art members. Makers and designers can share their work, studios, workshops and exhibitions via a dedicated website: a full and exciting range of online offerings, supported by deep and flexible online search capabilities.

Of course, a bonus of bringing the Big Makers Fair online is that it is accessible to a far wider audience who can ‘travel’ and ‘visit’ from the comfort of their own home, at whatever time suits them.

In person, the Big Makers Fair was expected to feature around 50-60 3D and 2D makers. The virtual, live 2021 event will now be able to showcase more than this, with artist registration opening in February. Visitors can expect a wide-ranging, exciting and enticing array of work: textiles, ceramics, jewellery, sculpture, glass, mixed media, paintings, printing, photography and more.

Full contact details in participating artists’ HVAF Galleries make it easy for visitors to get in touch, find out more and perhaps purchase something special. From greetings cards to larger statement pieces, original unique art alongside limited editions, there’s something for every pocket – a range of prices that won’t break the bank.

‘We expect this new fair to create an even bigger buzz than our 2020 virtual offerings, and anticipate it being very popular with artisan makers, artists and visitors alike,’ HVA Chair Hillary Taylor confirms. ‘We have such a talented and committed group of HVA members who create events like this, bringing an amazing wide range of art to the forefront. Although the health situation has certainly been a challenge, our ability to respond and develop new virtual opportunities for members and visitors alike is a testament to those organisers.’

Artists who want to take part, but are not yet members, can easily join Herts Visual Arts. They can then take full advantage of all member benefits, including networking, exhibiting at events and sharing on-line galleries. Membership for 2021/2022 is now open and artists can find out more/join here at www.hvaf.org.uk/artists.