The jumble sale is dead. It’s time to say it out loud.

In a world of Vinted and Facebook Marketplace, the bag of clothes for 50p model is struggling.

We need to host events that people want to put in their digital calendars. We need to stop being a dumping ground and start being a destination; it’s all about the experience.

The difference between a jumble sale and a Makers Market is a curator.

You don’t accept every application; you select vendors that fit the aesthetic: high-quality, local, and beautiful.

• The Mix: Aim for 60% makers (ceramics, prints, jewellery), 20% sustainable goods (refill stations, plants), and 20% high-end food/drink.

• The Bar: Ask yourself: “Would I buy this as a gift for someone I actually like?” If the answer is “no,” it doesn’t have a place in your nave.

Historic churches are the ultimate backdrop for art. Use it.

• Avoid the Folding Table Trap: Ban the plastic trestle table where possible. If you must use them, every table needs a floor-length, high-quality linen cloth.

• Zoning: Don’t cram stalls into every corner. Leave breathing space. Use the lines of the building to guide the flow. People should feel like they are in a gallery, not a warehouse.

• Lighting: Turn off the harsh overheads. Use floor lamps, battery-powered candles, and warm spotlights on the architecture.

A paper flyer on a telephone pole won’t reach a 28-year-old artist.

• Vendor Collaboration: Your vendors are your best marketers. Provide them with Social Media Kits—graphics they can share with their own followers.

• The Sneak Peek: Two weeks before the market, feature one maker a day on the parish Instagram. Show their hands at work. Tell their story.

In 2026, people are lonely. They don’t just want to buy a candle; they want a third space to exist in.

• The Lingering Rule: Provide high-quality coffee (no instant!) and a social zone with comfortable seating.

• The Live Element: A local acoustic musician or a live maker demo (like a potter’s wheel) turns a shopping trip into an experience.

It is important to be clear: a Modern Market isn’t a retail takeover; it is an act of stewardship.

We aren’t turning the church into a shopping mall; we are reclaiming the historic role of the nave as a social hub.

The goal isn’t profit margins—it is presence.

By inviting local makers into the building, we are saying that the church is a place where human creativity is celebrated and where the community is welcome to simply be.

It rebrands the church as a patron of the arts.

It brings hundreds of people through the doors who would never attend a service, but who now associate the building with beauty, quality, and community.

*Imagery co-created with AI

Updates from our Exeter studio on our craft, theology, and the art of slowing down.