Discover Gather Give Contemporary Arts Fair

Open to the public Nov 15th to 16th 2025 at Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall CV37 6EF

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Tag Archive: artists

1. Our first online Arts Fair

   November 30, 2020 11:25 am Leave a Comment

   Over the weekend of October 30^th to November 1^st when we would normally be doing our fab Arts Fair at Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall due to COVID-19 we went online by setting up a YouTube channel Discover Gather Give Arts Fair https://bit.ly/35QHRNh .

    

   It was a huge success for our first cyber outing with over 7,880 views of over 80 videos sent in by our artists. The videos ranged from shorts of 15-30 seconds to longer pieces of up to 30 minutes. The range was incredible, and they are still online now, so do pop over and look through them.

    

   It is fascinating to dig into the analytics and find out that unsurprisingly we had more female viewers than male, although they put in a good show of nearly 40%, and our age range of 18-24 and 55-64 years were the most popular, with the 30+ years coming in a close third.

    

   One fact that really surprised me was where our viewers came from; the UK and USA were to be expected but Belarus, Philippines, and Chile? So surprised and pleased that we can access the global markets.

    

   It brought home to me that as artists there are no limits to where you can sell your work, it is just getting your name out there and how accessible you are to your potential collectors.

    

   So I have decided that I will do another online fair in February 2021 using the skills I have learnt curating this year’s event – least of which is not to get the giggles, drop my phone whilst recording, sit in a squeaking chair or mince my words up into gobbledygoop!

    

   If you want to join us, then email me on judith@discovergathergive.co.uk

2. Covid or not to covid, that is the question

   October 31, 2020 11:51 pm Leave a Comment

   COVID-19 has changed everything so far this year, along with extremes in our reactions to it – shield and stay completely at home withdrawing from society or go with fate in continuing as near normal; both are understandable and I empathise with the fear of becoming ill, loosing someone close to you or feeling the need to keep going. Life has changed completely and is unlikely to go back to the pre-covid times of popping into the #Cafdgg hooching Private View or Golden Cup Cafe for a coffee and cake whilst visiting the busy arts fair at Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall.

    

   There have been no live events for our Artists so far, no teaching or lectures, no workshops or demonstration and no open houses. Their ability to meet with collectors and buyers face to face has dried up so I felt I could support our artists by putting on an online fair over the weekend of October 30^th to November 1^st when we would normally be doing our fab Arts Fair at Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall so I set up a YouTube channel Discover Gather Give Arts Fair https://bit.ly/35QHRNh

    

   The aim is for you to see the artists and their work, to be inspired in your present giving – for yourself or others – to get in contact with them directly to buy and to build an artistic relationship with them. Artists are real people and that relationship based on knowledge and trust is vital in keeping artists working and enhancing our lives with their beauty and time honed skills.

    

   I put out the call and have been mesmerised by the videos the artists produced, some showing how they make their work, others talking and showing their finished pieces, a lecture, a slide show and speeded up double fast art in action – something for everyone to enjoy time and time again.

    

   We finished up with setting out a premiere every 30 minutes from 9.15am to 7.15pm for three days, with over 85 hours of glorious art. A huge thank you to our artists for their time and effort in supporting Discover Gather Give Arts Fair in 2020, and here’s to a better 2021!

    

   Webpage for Contemporary Arts Fair Discover Gather Give www.discovergathergive.co.uk

   YouTube channel Discover Gather Give Fair https://bit.ly/35QHRNh

3. Can one have too much bling at an Arts Fair?

   July 22, 2019 11:58 am Leave a Comment

   In my research at Art Fairs, Festival, Craft events and Markets I am always looking to learn how they do things. I chat with as many artists as possible, organisers and volunteers and from each event I visit there is always something that sparks an idea that can inform how I curate Discover:Gather:Give, and this year it has been about branding and bling.

   Thanks to Dave Pearson https://creativepearson.com I feel #Cafdgg has a strong, clean, recognisable and easily identifiable brand. Our branding offers security, shares the personality of our business and its credibility. Emotionally we connect and share values with our visitors who in turn offer loyalty by returning to visit on a regular basis.

   The more I talk to organisers in this time of unknown and political unease the more I realise the importance of a trusted brand and for visitors to anticipate the standard of art works they are coming to see, the experience of the event plus their continual support of artists by buying the work on display, commissioning a piece after the event or attending a lecture or workshop –  it is that level of engagement and on-going patronage that #Cafdgg inspires .

   I believe that we can no longer just expect visitors to turn up at the Town Hall door, we need to bring them in to enjoy the experience, to be encouraged to engage with artists and to feel the excitement in discovering new and challenging art work. Nothing makes me happier as I walk the event to hear an artist sharing their creative process with a visitor, and later seeing a wrapped parcel leaving the artists exhibition space under the arm of a contented patron.

   All too often the events I visited relied on past successes with the same or similar art work; getting that balance between the new and established artists is such a difficult note to get right where both the artists and the visitors feel the event has been a success and further to quantify that success in real terms such as sales on the day and follow up sales. With a strong brand I believe one can introduce new artists whilst keeping the standard of art work at an exceptional level.

   #Cafdgg is not a super trendy, white cubicled event full of highly priced statement pieces on plinths; it has a curated balance with both traditional art and pieces to make you think, feel and cannot ignore. Our brand stands for art for all, of passion and the joy in the making, sharing, creating and collection of art. It is unique in the region for being a free entry event with such an array of art open for you.

   I started by asking can one have too much bling and no other event has anything like the Golden Cup Cafe, for me it has just the right amount of bling to keep it the positive side of tasteful kitsch; although it is becoming a close call with my golden serving platters for our Private View…

    

4. Past exhibitors at #Cafdgg 2018

   February 1, 2019 9:46 pm Leave a Comment

   I am often asked who exhibited at #Cafdgg as we change the composition of the event every time we open our doors, so here is the list of our past exhibitors for 2018.

   June and November #Cafdgg 2018 Contemporary Arts Festival Discover:Gather:Give

   Ann Donnelly – Glass

   Abi and Roz Tipperlyhill – Illustration

   Ali Perry – Glass lamp work silver jewellery

   Alix Almond – Lino prints

   Andy Walker – Digital photography and painting

   Anya Simmons – Painting

   Armando Magninio & Mel Price – Fine Furniture and stained glass

   Ben Cowan – Up cycling and painting

   Chloe Breen – Repeat pattern painting

   Claire Brierley – Whimsical sculpture and painting

   Claire Henley – Painting

   Claire Pentlow – Papercutter extraordinaire

   Charlotte Wilkinson – Handblown Glass

   Christine Hodges – Painting

   Dawn Harris- Painting

   David Shepherdson – Writing instruments

   Don Mason – Landscapes

   Grace Numan – Mixed media

   Frances Daunt- Animal feltwork

   Fiona Kingdon – Fret worker in wood

   Francesca Kay – Printed word and poetry

   Heather Bailey – Painting

   Jane Moore – Jewellery

   James Fotheringham – Landscapes

   Joanne Verity – Decoupage

   Jill Pargeter – Printed fabric

   Judith Yates – Seascapes

   Judy Methuen and Amanda Brown – Sculpture and leather bags

   Kate Wrigglesworth – Painting

   Kat Christou – Handblown glass

   Karen Wyeth – Felt work

   Kathryn Webley – Glass

   Karl Hamilton-Cox – Painting on leather

   Ken Hurd – Painting and illustration of Wales

   Louise Goves – Coffee painting

   Louise Walker – Painting and illustration

   Lizzie Bentley – Painting

   Martin Sanders – Turned wood

   Mari Beardehaw – Silver boxes

   Mizuki Takahashi – Silver and enamel jewellery

   Milagros Kuga – Milik Milik – handmade 3D jewellery

   Nadege Honey – Polymerclay jewellery

   Nadja Ryzhakova -Painting

   Niki Crew – Glass fish

   Patsi Wheatley-hubbard -Painting

   Paul Joyner – Wire sculpture

   Penny Gildea – Enameler

   Rachel Higgins  – Sculpture

   Rosie Colvin – Jeweller

   Robin Mason -Painting

   Robin Wade – Ceramics

   Russel Gain -Abstract art painting

   Sarah Leigh – Felted lampshades

   Sharon Highway – Hand made journals

   Stephanie Giles  – Pearl and bead stringer

   Wendy Freestone -Sculpture