We Create Christmas Market attracts thousands to Cascades Shopping Centre in Portsmouth looking for that special gift

The market, which showcased the creative talents of Portsmouth designers, makers, and artists, featured 52 independent stalls offering a diverse range of seasonal gifts in the former Dorothy Perkins unit at The Cascades Shopping Centre in the city centre.

The shopping centre came alive with an exhibition of local art and products displayed in shop windows, adorned with decorations hand-crafted by local schools and community groups. Live performances also added to the festive atmosphere with a variety of performances from choirs, solo artists and many more.

In conjunction with the successful market, Portsmouth Creates launched the Portsmouth Creative Directory, an online platform connecting individuals and organisations with the vibrant creative community of Portsmouth. The directory serves as a comprehensive resource making it effortless for users to discover and connect with creativity offering a wide range of services.

Portsmouth Creates’ CEO Gemma Nichols said: “We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved and who came along. The atmosphere was so friendly and warm, the traders, performers and the community made it so much more than a market, it was a creative collaboration. The markets originated from supporting creatives during the pandemic, we are pleased this has been so popular it’s become a tradition for many. Supporting and enabling artists and creatives in Portsmouth to growth is key to what we do.

“Being able to also share our new digital platform which will also adds to the ongoing support for creatives to share their work, and for business, charities and individuals to easily connect with them is truly needed to for our sector to thrive – this is very new and we are currently looking for creatives to generate profiles so we can promote them early in 2024. This is an excellent opportunity for creatives to showcase their talents, connecting with potential new audiences and clients, and be part of an exciting and growing creative community.”

For creatives interested in signing up to the Portsmouth Creative Directory visit portsmouthcreativedirectory.co.uk. Anyone interested in a stall at future We Create Markets should email [email protected].