FAQ for Vendors

Constitution Hill is a hub supporting creative entrepreneurs, women, youth, and other creative hubs of Gauteng. The Creative Uprising is Constitution Hill’s ongoing program designed to develop, support and elevate creative talent. The ConHill Creative Uprising Hub provides:

• Access  to affordable work-spaces
• Access to raw materials, equipment and tools
• Capacity building and training in running and managing creative enterprises
• Business support for running a business, for example, book-keeping, marketing and export logistics.
• Access to technical services and support along the product-to-market process
• Local, national and international market access

Curated Makers is the maker’s local market access programme. By becoming a member of the Creative Uprising you can access all the support programmes offered. Find out more here.

If you are accepted to trade at our markets you are required to complete the market access opportunity form. The purpose of this form is to formally record all opportunities created through programmes implemented by the Gauteng Department of Economic Development and all Implementation partners within the cultural and creative industries. As an implementation partner ConHill we are required to formally document every revenue-generating opportunity we create. The form can be accessed here.

The Curated Makers is a juried market. Makers have to apply for the privilege of trading in the market. All applications must be done online via our website (www.curatedmakers.co.za). Once your application has been submitted successfully, you will receive an automated email confirming the application has been logged. The submission of your application does not mean that you have been selected. Selections are done first by looking at your online application and photos. If you are selected to go through to the second round, you will be asked to come for a viewing or you will receive a mail to inform you that you have not been selected.

We are looking for a product that:

• Is unique and original
• Innovative in design.
• Made locally and proudly South African in concept and creation. 
• Are of excellent quality 
• That is not overexposed.

As a development initiative, we incubate small creative businesses and environmental or employment projects. Find out more about the Creative Uprising support programmes here.

Our markets are thoughtfully curated to provide the best possible experience for our artisans and marketgoers. We work hard to balance how many vendors we have in each category for an interesting and varied market experience. While we wish we could accept every maker into our markets, what makes our markets unique is that we are a juried market that will rotate makers as often as possible, and we are looking for a specific type of aesthetic and products that we know to sell well in our markets.

If you are not selected, you will be offered the opportunity to join our development initiatives the Creative Uprising Product Development and Enterprise support programmes.

Please be sure to only apply for the shows that you can commit to!

General stall fee: R 350

Food and drink stall fees: R 850

Alcohol stall fees: R 2000

Vendor fees help cover things like venue rental costs, day-of signage, marketing, and swag for you and marketgoers. 

Electricity is only provided if requested on the application form. An additional fee of R 150 is payable for the supply and use of electricity.

Lighting is provided in general areas. As this is a night market it is recommended that you bring a fully charged LED light with you or request electricity and lighting in your stall.

Friday Night Markets – 4 pm – 10 pm

Day Markets – 10 am – 6 pm

Standard stands are 3 m x 3 m in size we can also accommodate a 6 m x 3 m stand. If you have a Food/Coffee Truck the exact measurements should be provided with a tow hitch & stabilizers included. Your space will only be confirmed once you have paid your full fee.

What must traders Provide?

• Traders are required to use white or black gazebos or umbrellas unless otherwise coordinated with written approval at least two weeks out from a market. These can be hired from Curated Makers and Constitution Hill.
• Weights (Required for outdoor gazebos)
• All Display Items
• POS System, 
• Packaging
• Additional lighting for Outdoor Booth Spaces (For evening markets)
• Extension Cords and rechargeable battery lamps if needed.

What will the Curated Makers Market provide?

• 1 x Tables + 2 x Chairs for each 3 m x 3 m stall
• Curated Makers Tablecloth per table (Refundable Deposit)
• Limited extra tables, chairs, gazebos, or other items traders are responsible for on hand.
• Event signage.
• Promotion through social media and flyers. We will also create an event graphic that you can share to promote on your social networks!
• Friendly staff who can assist you on the day with questions or if you need a bathroom break!

You may share stand space with another vendor, though both traders must apply separately to the market. If both are accepted, you would only submit one vendor fee for the space when fees are due. Vendor fees cannot be split! CMM is not responsible for pairing up traders and does not allow traders to apply for half of the stand space. Traders who set up products from other businesses or who share spaces without permission will be asked to remove the products of the business that did not apply. We offer a curated mix of traders and try not to oversaturate any one category, which is why we must be aware of all the categories of traders and products shown!

The look & feel of your stand is paramount in the selection process. We assist you to build your own space with your unique identity and creativity.  It is important to include images of your stand set up and display in your application.  Please see our Pinterest board for what we are looking for. We expect each booth within the market to feel like its own experience with a beautiful presentation of the products not just for the market but giving us confidence makers are putting their best foot forward to have good sales. We also like to see shelving, displays and booths full of products vs. an empty table with a few products on the table.

We do look at your business’s social media and website when evaluating applications. This allows us to get to know your product and style better and helps us promote you! We also review media accounts for: following, growth, frequent postings and engagement. It is very important for us to see makers posting and engaging so we can see a maker trying to grow and engage with customers outside of markets. When looking through applications, a maker’s active social media, products and booth presentation have a large impact when we are selecting makers. We review your website for ease of use, branding and e-commerce capabilities.

Please note that CMM will have live musicians at this market! Some stand spaces may be in closer proximity than others to the musician(s). Stand placements are made on a first-come, first-serve basis and based on artisan requests. If you have any concerns, please note them in the comment box on the application. We will do our best to make accommodations, but we cannot guarantee your placement in relation to the musician(s) or make changes once the layout is confirmed.

The Marketing and PR Team has extensive online marketing strategies in place. Feel free to browse around our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest profiles and share them with friends and clients. Selected traders can request to be featured on social media and send images – it is at our discretion to feature the specific trader or not.

You may hand out advertising or promotional material at your designated stall, such material must relate to the products on sale at your stall and be disposed of in accordance with our waste management clause.

One of our main goals in starting this market is spreading the word about you and the amazing things you create! Here’s how: 

• For each market, we create an original graphic to promote on social media > this will be shared with accepted artists to also use on their social media!
• We will promote the event on Instagram and Facebook.
• We share the event with email subscribers.
• While we can’t guarantee an individual post about your business, we do our best to feature you! We will list all of our traders on our Facebook event.
• We ask that all stallholders promote the markets at least once on their social media accounts. You are a valuable part of how we share! We appreciate you sharing and promoting the event with your networks.

• Arrive on time (1-2 hours prior to the start of the event).
• Be set up by the start of the event. 
• Remain set up until the market ends. Please do not break down until the event has officially ended! 
• Come prepared with the items listed below.
• Late set-up and early clean-up may affect future acceptance!

We welcome artisans of all abilities at our markets! Our hosting location and specific booth spaces are wheelchair accessible. If you have questions about accessibility, please contact bandile@conhill.org.za  If you have any accommodation requests, please make them known in the comment box at the bottom of the application. We will do our best to make the feasible accommodations requested on the application.