The February edition of the Woodend Makers and Artists Market marks a special milestone for the team.
Celebrating its first full year, organiser Amanda Wilson said the market breathed new life into Norma Richardson Hall in Woodend.
“I manage the hall which is attached to St Mary’s Anglican Church, its a beautiful hall, and a local artist who is involved with our parish said, ‘why aren’t you doing more with this hall?’”, she said.
“I’d never thought of that, and she said ‘we could do with another local market because I’m a full-time artist and we don’t have enough resources to create income and be sustainable’ so I thought about it and decided to go ahead and organise the market.”
The monthly market features handmade creations by artists and makers from Macedon Ranges and surrounds, and this year Ms Wilson said she wants to focus more on bringing in local talent from the Ranges to the market.
In February 2025 she hosted her first market, and slowly but surely the market has continued to grow with a dedicated pool of artists and makers attending each month bringing in visitors from the Ranges and beyond.
“We’ve got some people who are very dedicated to be outside under their market, but (we have) lots of people who haven’t been able to attend a market before because their beautiful artworks are too fragile to go outside in a marquee,” Ms Wilson said.
The first market of the year will be held on Saturday 28 February in and outside Norma Richardson Hall, 15 Buckland Street Woodend.
There will be plenty of crafts, creations and arts for sale, as well as coffee, food and music.
The Woodend Artists and Makers Market takes place every fourth Saturday of the month.
Details: woodendartistsandmakersmarket.com/
