Creative young people have helped to design a vibrant new feature to promote Warwickshire's Teenage Market events.
Creative young people from Warwickshire have helped to design a vibrant new feature to promote Teenage Market events taking place across the county this year, celebrating the talent, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of Warwickshire’s children and young people.
Commissioned by Warwickshire County Council, a bespoke set of large creative letters which spell out the words ‘Teenage Market’ have been designed and created by young people with Stratford Youth Collective.
The colourful letters have been developed to help promote the Teenage Markets to the public on the day of each event, and through online channels to encourage even more young people as well as local groups, organisations, councils or schools to get involved in future market events. The letters also bring the young traders of each market together to get to know each other and create memorable group photographs that capture the energy of each event.
As part of the commission a colourful and interchangeable location board was also created to highlight the different Teenage Market locations as they take place across the county, including:
- Warwick's Market Place Market, Warwick, Saturday 18 July, 9am – 3pm (pictured)
- Stratford's Rother Street Market, Stratford-upon-Avon, Friday 24 July, 9am – 4pm
- Kenilworth Food Festival, Kenilworth, Sunday 26 July, 11am-5pm
Councillor Rob Howard, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Economy, said:
“The Teenage Markets initiative creates fantastic opportunities for young people to develop their ideas and creative talents, build confidence, and gain real-world business experience. As part of our commitment to being a child-friendly county, the commissioned Teenage Market letters perfectly encapsulate the vibrant community atmosphere and energy that encourages more footfall into our towns and high streets, supporting local economic growth while inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and creatives.”
The Teenage Market is a national initiative that provides opportunities for young people to showcase their creative talents and entrepreneurial skills through selling handmade crafts, unique fashion, and art. Open to aspiring entrepreneurs aged 13–25 years, each market event offers the opportunity to test new business ideas, sell their creative products, and gain practical experience in a real trading environment.
Young people interested to get involved can sign-up for a stall free of charge on The Teenage Market website. Spaces are limited but once registered, future dates and opportunities will be shared.
Sarah Cowley-Catchpole, Youth Work Manager at Stratford Youth Collective, said:
"The letters project has been a fantastic opportunity for young people to use their creativity to contribute towards something that will be seen and enjoyed by people across Warwickshire. It’s also rewarding to know that the letters will continue to be used at future Teenage Markets events, giving young people a visible reminder of the talent, imagination and commitment that exists within our local communities. Micro projects like this help young people to see their creative skills have real value and can make a positive impact."
Joe Barratt, Place for Youth CIC (who deliver The Teenage Market), said:
"Every Teenage Market event has its own personality, but what always stands out is the positivity, enthusiasm and sense of community that the young traders bring. These new letters will create a strong visual focus for some of the photographs and exactly the sort of element that helps tell the story of young people making a positive contribution to their communities. Thank you to Stratford Youth Collective. My only challenge now will be to ensure we get the letters in the right order!"
The commissioned Teenage Market letters will appear at all upcoming Teenage Market events taking place in Warwickshire throughout the year, creating a fun focal point for photographs with the young market traders, performers and visitors. More than just a colourful installation, the project represents young creatives supporting young entrepreneurs and the collaborative ethos at the heart of the Teenage Markets programme.
The letters also align with Child Friendly Warwickshire, a County Council initiative bringing the county together in a collective effort to ensure that all children and young people have a voice that is heard, that they are safe, happy and healthy and that they are equipped with the skills to have the best lives they can.
Warwickshire County Council is currently supporting the expansion of Teenage Markets across the county in partnership with Place for Youth CIC, which delivers the Teenage Market initiative on a national level. For local groups, organisations, councils or schools who would like to host a Teenage Market, please email towns@warwickshire.gov.uk
To find out more, visit the Warwickshire County Council Teenage Markets webpage.