I have many friends that are artisans – jewelry designers, beauty product makers, illustrators and more, and I love purchasing their products at any given opportunity. Most of these people do their business via Instagram and rely on word-of-mouth to advertise their products, and after discussing this with one of my artisan friends one day, an idea began to form.
With Christmas fast approaching, many people are beginning to think about picking up little trinkets to gift to friends, family, and colleagues. Orders for my Balkanista scarves are coming through thick and fast, and I thought it would be a good idea to bring together a handful of these small businesses in a festive setting to give them an opportunity to showcase their wares in real life, not just on Instagram.
It was then that the idea of the Christmas Market was born, and I wanted to use this as an opportunity not just to benefit small businesses and sole proprietors, but to raise some money for charity as well. I considered the different ways of achieving this, but I was reluctant to charge these businesses for their space at the event. After discussing with some of the vendors, we decided to ask them to donate a minimum of 25% of their revenue on the day, to the charity pot, as well as one item for a raffle. Everyone agreed and the plan was set!
The partner I chose for the event was Urban Roots, a community cafe as well as a non-profit establishment in the heart of Tirana. With enough space for around 20 vendors, it seemed the perfect place for a small, community-based gathering.
The charities that we have chosen to support are Food Bank Albania and Useful to Albanian Women, a charity supporting women and children who have survived domestic violence. 25% of all vendors proceeds will be divided between them as well as the proceeds of the raffle.
The event will be held at 1 pm on the 8th of December at Urban Roots Tirana. You are invited to come and enjoy the friendly atmosphere at the cafe, as well as nibbles, and piping hot mulled wine. You can purchase raffle tickets for a range of wonderful artisan prizes, and of course, you can peruse the 20 or so vendors that are selling items such as skincare, cards, crafts, knitted goods, art, wine, jewelry and more!
Just one of the wonderful festive events lined up this Christmas season, all with a charitable twist, so be sure to save some energy to enjoy them all!
This article was originally published on The Balkanista.
