LR Lately
A Travel Blog by Lakes Region Airport Shuttle
Subscribe to LR Lately | View All PostsThe Artisans of Bicentennial Square
Posted On: 08/31/2015
This weekend, we got a chance to check out a place in Concord where New Hampshire crafters can get some coffee, order some Mexican food, and share their crafts with visitors who love their Made in NH products! The site to which we refer is called the Concord Arts Market (CAM) in Bicentennial Square on Saturdays in the summer and fall between True Brew Barista and Margaritas from 9am-3pm. It “gives artists and artisans the ability to connect with the greater community,” and “integrates makers into the fabric of everyday life.” Planned by the Granite State Arts Market, this business gives artisans a place to show off to pedestrians in downtown Concord.
< Painters, ceramics gurus, quilters, sewers, fibre artists, soap makers, and many other eclectic artists gather at this spot next to the water fountain for each market day. They bring their families and help one another set up their tents early in the morning for selling. I watched as a metal jewelry maker helped a fibre artist put the posts of her tent into place before heading off to arrange his own display. There is an immediate feeling of community amongst the artists, especially the ones who bring along their dogs and children to be pet and greeted by the other members of the CAM team. But a particularly interesting element of CAM is founder Katy Solsky who runs around asking tent proprietors about their mornings, if they need coffee, and frequently telling stories about her own versatile life running arts markets around the state. Her “busy-bee” energy explains a lot about why the sellers are all so kind and community driven.
Solsky started the arts market in 2008 and has produced markets in other towns such as Dover and Claremont as well as helped with the framework of the SOWA open market in Boston. The space is rented from the Parks and Recreation Department in the City of Concord and has been a great place to show off the work that has been brought in. Solsky knows so much about the participants in the markets and loves to talk with them about their lives, craftwork, and exchanges pleasant stories while they exhibit: “One of the things I love about doing the marketplace is that we create a community meeting place and give people a reason to connect in this spot.”
If you are looking for a place to show off your own crafts, contact the Concord Arts Market! If you’re looking for a place to shop for unique Christmas presents for your family, this is a great place to stop and support local businesses. Visit their Facebook page for updates and check out our photos from Saturday on our Instagram @LakesRegAirportShuttle.
Businesses featured in this article who are also on Facebook: Tookybird, The Mane Wool, and Knitting Metal.
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