OUR mission statement

MADE ON THE LEFT was founded in 2008 by independent designers to support Western Australian creative talent. We hold bi-annual handmade craft markets to showcase local designers.

Being on the left hand side of Australia no longer

means you'll be at a disadvantage.

Our aim is to support all creative designers and events showcasing independent labels. MOTL is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organisation. You may wonder why we promote other markets besides MOTL; it’s because it’s not about us, its about you; the buyers and sellers of indie wares. Here at the blog, you’ll discover up to date information about our latest market, the low-down on some of Perth’s emerging talents, other opportunities for artists and designers and a little bit of fun stuff too. It’s all right here… welcome!

Wednesday, September 24

Condor Tower Car Park - Artist Call Out




CONDOR TOWER CAR PARK | ARTIST CALL OUT

Local art collective 'ololo' together with artist Creepy, invite aerosol artists and those who are deft with spraycan and stencil to roam free on the walls of the Condor Tower Car Park.

Situated on St Georges Tce, Perth, the carpark encompasses five levels - Core, Underwater, Land, Sky and Space.

With access to a huge artillery of paint, artists will be asked to respond to the thematic constraints across five weekends, beginning October 4.

Register your interest by emailing carpark@ololo.info before September 30.

www.ololo.info

Monday, September 22

Unwrapped: Subiaco

Unwrapped: Subiaco is seeking vendors for their upcoming markets.Location: Rokeby Road, Subiaco (between Roberts Rd and Hay St)
Date: Thursday 4th December 2008Time: 5pm - 9pm

Unwrapped: the marketplace provides a low-risk platform for emerging designers to test the commercial viability of their products. It enables early-career designers to launch their brands and engage directly with their target market, providing a unique platform to secure immediate sales from style-savvy shoppers, generate further interest from retail buyers and network with other industry professionals.
This event is part of the Subiaco Street Festival 2008 and proudly supported by Pro Subi and the City of Subiaco.If you would like to apply, please see attached application form and follow the instructions below:Send the application below to unwrappedperth@gmail.com with the subject line 'Your brand name' Application Subiaco before the 7th of November. Please don't forget to send along 3 images and a 300 word biography in addition to the application form.

Want to send it via post instead? No problems! Just contact unwrappedperth@gmail.com for the address details.

Want more information? Visit the Unwrapped website.

Stall Costs -

$50 - Current Student
$75 - Recent Graduate
$100 - Open




Sunday, September 21

York Jazz and Soul Festival 2008


Do you want to participate?
They are still interested in applications from Arty & Crafty stallholders...

Two wonderful days of jazz in the middle of spring!
Saturday 18 October 11am-10pm & Sunday 19 October 11am-10pm.
The York Jazz & Soul Festival announces the best lineup of jazz talent ever assembled in Western Australia. The artist lineup offers international, national and local legends, masters,
maestros and the best emerging jazz talent in Australia.
It happens in the middle of Spring across 7 wonderful stages which are all complemented by the authentic vintage backdrop offered by the historic town of York in wildflower season, gourmet food and beverages, poker, markets and more.
Here are the artists making a hottest weekend of the coolest jazz and soul!

Click on the above image to go the the incredibly detailed and helpful website.


Stalls are $50 for the weekend. Enquires and requests for application forms can be emailed to stalls@yorkjazz.com.au

Tuesday, September 16

Be a part of the Northbridge Festival

The Northbridge Festival needs you....

Entertainers

ARTRAGE are looking for all styles and sizes of performers & groups to appear across various stages throughout James St amidst a bustling street market on Saturday November 1st, with slots from 1pm – 11pm.

There are ten micro-stages to program and the aim of the game is diversity & difference, eclectic & hectic, short, sharp, fast & furious.

5 – 30mins.

Dance, musical instruments of all varieties, spoken word, acoustic, comedy, puppet, carnival & vaudeville, ventriloquists, emcee, barber shop quartets, magic, choirs & chicken mesmerists.

All stages located in the heart of the Festival strip, where over 20,000 people will pass through over the Festival weekend.

Limited powered stages also available.

You do it, we'll consider it.

Professionals, amateurs, bedroom geniuses.

Come one. Come all!

REGISTER INTEREST NOW TO GET MORE INFO! THERE'S LIMITED NUMBERS SO MOVE FAST!

To apply email hello@artrage.com.au with the subject heading "PUT ME ON A STAGE" by 30th September to receive an application pack.


Market Stallholders

Got something you want to sell to over 20,000 people in a day?

ARTRAGE are calling for unique and quirky traders to join in on the fun in the Northbridge Festival Street Markets.

Located down the center of James St. and surrounded by hours of eclectic performances, the Street Market runs from 1pm -11pm and attracts thousands of people for their unique charm, colour and collection of interesting traders.

A limited number of stalls are available for hire on Saturday November 1st, so get in fast!

Promotions will start hitting the streets soon, and the full program is launched at the start of October, so jump on board before the festival truck starts to roll…

To apply email hello@artrage.com.au with the subject heading "TRADER DELIGHTS" by 30th September to receive an application pack.

Please Note : No stallholder fees/ tables supplied / lighting supplied / power supplied / advertising & promoting by the agents / stall signage supplied. So what are you waiting for?

Volunteers

ARTRAGE is seeking skilled and reliable volunteers with vivaciousness & verve to work as part of the hard-core / big-fun ARTRAGE team assisting with the 2008 ARTRAGE programming, including the 'Silver' Artrage Festival – 25th Anniversary Edition, Northbridge Festival and other exciting events over the year.

This year, the SILVER ARTRAGE Festival – 25th Anniversary Edition runs from 16th October – 9th November with the Northbridge Festival taking place on 1st & 2nd November.

Volunteers can help in the following ares:

• Front of House, Gallery & Box Office Staff
• Marketing & Promotion Support
• Event Photographers
• Stage Managers
• Street Team
• Administration & Programming Support
• Construction & Build Teams
• Bump In & Out Teams
• Artist Support

If you have particular skills or talents in any of these areas or if you simply want to gain experience, email hello@artrage.com.au with the subject heading "I LOVE TO VOLUNTEER!" by 30th September to receive an application pack.

Don't forget to sign up to the weekly newsletter at www.artrage.com.au to stay in the ARTRAGE loop!

Monday, September 15

Come on over to Our Place


Pierre Bonnard. Siesta - The artist's studio. 1900, oil on canvas. NGV International, St Kilda

No room to create? Outgrown your 'spare room' and need to expand? Made on the Left has heard about another opportunity for those looking to take the next step and get their own studio space.

“Our Place” on Parry Street, Fremantle is described as a hub of artistic activity, currently housing a range people working in different mediums from performing to visual arts.

The rent deal includes wireless broadband all outgoings and access to larger workshop space. Cost is $110.00 per week per room.*

If you are interested or know anyone that might be, contact Jamie on 0438716804.

Proximity to Freo's cafe strip sure should help get those creative juices flowing!

*nude model not supplied.

Artsource Garage Sale


Gatherer Design Space

A new concept store looks to be on the horizon. The plan is to open up in Northbridge late 2008 and join the amazing array of stores on William St. The store will allow designers to hire a space, or a wall for a 3 month block to display their products. You can restock your goods as much as you'd like - all you'll be paying is the upfront fee and a minimal commission.

Curious? Contact Sam Cartmell with any queries.

East Claremont Primary School - Stallholders Required

November 2nd
11am - 4pm

East Claremont Primary School will be holding a family fair on Sunday, November the 2nd. They are seeking stallholders to be involved on the day. They anticipate 25-30 stallholders in total. Stalls will cost $100 per stall, and an item to be donated towards a raffle.

All stalls will be undercover and situated around the verandas of the school, but you are welcome to use your own shelter & you are free to setup in the open if you would prefer. Stall locations are roughtly 3m x 2m and can accomodate 2-3 trestle tables. If you require tables they can be hired. In addition to stallholders there will be entertainment, food, refreshments and second hand products.

Please register your interest ASAP. You can contact Donna Stomp at dstomp[at]bigpond.net.au

To market, to market

Today is the day for Perth Upmarket, so make sure you head on down to the Perth Town Hall (on the corner of Barrack and Hay Street) to check it out!

I'll be heading down with some friends to see all the amazing West Aussie sellers in action (and to buy some fantastic West Aussie wares).

Perth Upmarket runs from 12pm til 5pm this afternoon. For info on how to get there or to check out if your favourite seller has a stall, check out the Perth Upmarket website.

Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, September 9

Calling all WA artists!

My lovely friends over at Gallery Nine by Five - The Artists Gallery in Fremantle have recently decided to make a couple of key changes to their business in order to create a space that will allow more artists' work to be seen and that is better suited to artists' needs.

In order to facilitate the necessary changes, the Gallery will shift from its present 40% commission on the sale of work, to 0% commission with an entry fee and a monthly service charge.

The Gallery is now looking for artists who may be interested in joining them in this exciting new phase of their business. Artists who apply will go through a selection process, and places are expected to fill up fast!

If accepted, in addition to a space, you'll receive your own page on the Gallery Nine by Five website, professional promotion of your work, advice based on client feedback and industry experience, as well as being offered a solo show in one of the two gallery spaces once every 18 months.

If you jump on board soon you'll also get to be a part of the inaugural exhibition which is expected to attract considerable attention.

Interested? I bet you are! Shoot an email through to the Gallery for more info & to apply.Good luck!

When the weather gets warmer it's time for a POPSICLE!

Hope all you Perthies have popped on down to Popsicle! to check out the really cool West Aussie designed and made wares for sale:

"Popsicle! is a pop up retail space that is the first of its kind in Perth. Discover the latest collections from a selection of our State's most exciting designers right in the heart of Northbridge.This 11 day event has been especially created for the Perth Fashion Festival and is where the public and buyers can shop for the latest in clothing, jewellery, accessories and more. Popsicle! showcases Perth's finest within an abandoned building, which has been transformed by interior designers and will stay open only for the duration of the festival."


Our very own Ali J is featured, check out this delicious photo of her work taken from the Popsicle!
website (head on over there to see the other featured designers).

Popsicle! runs from the 4th to the 14th of September, so hurry hurry down to 214 William St Northbridge before you miss it!

Thursday, September 4

Market Guide - Stock Levels

So you are going to have a stall for a market. Sounds exciting doesn't it? However there is always one question on the minds of those just starting out. How much stock do I need to take?

Well, there are a few different answers for that. The main answer = enough. If you set up a stall and sell out within an hour, that is poor planning. It isn't good if you earnt $200 and then sold out as you've lost the remaining days takings. A sold out stall is a poor reflection on the seller - buyers don't want to come to an event where everyone has sold out. They want to come and purchase goods that they find. You want want to aim for a well stocked stall with plenty of backup supplies. Especially if it is a multiple day event - as you don't want to be up until 4am the next night to finish stock for the following day! That is when mistakes will happen.

Just because you are going to have a stall at a big fair with over 1,000 people visiting doesn't mean you need 1000 rings because everyone will buy one. Sorry, but they won't. Some people won't like the colour, some people won't have enough money, other people won't like the style, and then there are those who just don't want it at all. That is human nature don't be offended. Only a certain percentage of those customers will purchase something from your stall, if any at all. I recently had a stall at an event which attracted 15,000 customers over multiple days. Out of all those customers I only had 30 sales. Compare that to another event where there was over 1,000 customers and out of all of those customers I had over 200 sales. It all depends on your location and your target market. That first market was a festival where people wanted to spend money on food, not products, and I learnt that very quickly!

In order to work out what stock levels you need there are certain questions you need to evaluate first.
  • What is the expected spending amount for each buyer? $5, $50, $500?
  • What is the target market?
  • What is the stallholders fee for the market?
  • What is the entry fee for the market?
  • How many stallholders will be present?
  • What type of market are you participating in?
  • Have you attended that market before?
They may seem like obvious, or not relevant questions in regards to what you sell - but they are. Some examples -
  • Glow in the dark and cheap character items sell well at night markets. Jewellery doesn't as most people will only want to buy jewellery in natural lighting.
  • Selling $10 pendants at a market where the average pendant prices are $500 will cause you to sell less. Buyers will compare you to the other vendors and challenge the pricing because it seems different.
  • You will find it hard to sell childrens clothing at a music festival fair
The main points you need to think about are -
  1. Is my target customer attending?
  2. How much money will they spend at my store?
  3. Were my products used for any of the advertising?
As a general rule at any craft fair/designer market you should sell a minimum of ten times the stallholder entry fee as that is what is considered to be a good market. So if I paid $50 for a stall, I should expect to generate $500 worth of sales. I wouldn't want to bring $10,000 worth of stock though as that would be excessive. You should plan to bring at least 4-5 times the amount that you would expect to sell. This way if one design is more popular then another, or if you come across a faulty item, you always have spares on hand.

If each buyer can only afford to spend $20, then you are not as likely to sell a bag for $240 then you are a purse for $18. So your stock levels would reflect this. Also if your products were used during the advertising - be prepared. Many people will associate you with the ads, and most of the time they will come to the event just to find you.

Other suggestions -
  • Tally up past markets/selling opportunities. Work out what has sold & what hasn't. Keep an eye on what your popular lines/products are. Make sure you always have those lines/products in stock.
  • You should always have one product in a large quantity. This product is usually a low cost item in your range and the 'drawcard' for buyers to your stall.
  • Create a product file. If you do happen to start selling out of designs you can place the file at your stall and allow customers to order them. Have samples on hand that are not for sale so people can see the items that are in the catalogue. Be aware though - some places will not allow you to do this.
  • Don't go overboard. If you've only sold one necklace of a certain design in the past year, don't go creating 50 of that line.
I can't give you exact stock numbers or counts of your items, because each business is different. It is better to worry about overstocking then understocking. I'd rather have stock leftover from a market then running out. At least overstock means you can resell those products at other venues. Remember that as an independent designer you need to make the most of every opportunity - and if that means building up your stock levels, then that is great!

What about you? How do you plan your stock levels for your markets/sales venues? We would love to hear about your experiences!

Faces Behind Made On The Left - Part 6 - Beth Wachla

We wanted to introduce to you our newest committee member of Made On The Left - Beth Wachla. Beth is an up and coming Perth designer who has been getting a lot of interest with her cool fabric skull brooches, and we are so excited to have her on board. On an official level Beth will take creative control of some future projects which we will release info about at a later date. It may include a spot of shopping and some informative reading. :)

Enough about that... for now I will introduce you to Beth!

Tell us a bit about you & your business.Hi, my name is Beth, I’m 27 and I create beaded jewellery and felt accessories under the label “the tiny little girl” whilst living in my tiny Perth flat with a houseplant named Herbert Greenleaf.I’m currently selling through Etsy, and have a couple of markets lined up (including the November Made on the Left of course!). Some of my skully brooches are soon to appear on www.shopmoose.com.au and I’m pretty excited about that. It’s one step at a time at the moment.What made you want to get involved with Made on the Left?

I wanted to get involved when I saw how hard the Made on the Left team were working to support West Australian design. I think it’s so important to be proud of where you come from, why should we have to move interstate or overseas when, if we work hard at it, we can find the recognition we want for our work right here in WA? I’m so happy to have been accepted into the team, and I plan to work my butt off to help achieve our goals.
What are your plans for the future?

Long long term I’d love to be able to quit my admin job and create and sell my crafts full time under the “the tiny little girl” label. In terms of Made on the Left I feel like I have a lot to learn as I’m jumping in later on in the game and the other members of the team are so much further along than me.
I really want to help to make Made on the Left into something truly great. An organization that is able to support all West Aussie designers in a lot of different ways.What was the first thing you ever created?

I believe one of the first things I ever made was probably a tiny jacket for one of my monster finger puppet toys. My brother and I loved playing with them when we were kids and used to make tiny books for them to read and clothes for them to wear. Such fun!
What inspires you?Embarrassingly I’m inspired by buying supplies! Scouring online stores for items I can use seems to bring the ideas forth. I try to buy the majority of my supplies on Etsy so that I can support little shop owners like myself.What do you think of Australian design?

I think Australian design is definitely on par with international design. We have some amazing artists in this country and I think that they’re starting to gain the recognition they deserve on the international market. Go Aussies!
What is the most important thing to you when you create your work?I love colour so it’s really important to me to include loads of colour in any piece I create. My flat looks like a rainbow exploded in it and I’d love for my work to reflect that feeling.Where do you see yourself in a years time?

In a years time I hope to be well on my way to supporting myself through my crafty endeavors. At the moment I work full time in an admin role, and then craft full time in the evenings and on weekends, and it’s quite exhausting! I’d love to be selling my work in stores all over the world, and to still feel as passionate about it all as I do right this second.

So, thankyou Beth for introducing yourself & coming on board with Made On The Left. I know it will be tough at first taking on your new role, but we are very excited to have another voice that will help us take our organization to the next level. We can't wait to tell everyone about our plans for 2009 and beyond!

Hillarys Boat Harbour Markets - Stallholders Needed

We want to make sure we keep you in the loop about everything market wise we come across. So lately our e-mails are filling up with news of new & exciting markets to come this summer! We thought we'd fill you in on some of them as news comes to hand, and then you can choose whether the location & target market suits your customer base.


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Hillarys Boat Harbour


The new market in Hillarys Boat Harbour are looking for committed and original crafters and makers to join in the vibrant weekly market. Get in early to be a part of this busy venue, set inside the complex, alongside the beach overlooking the marina and restaurants..

Trade every Saturday or once a month.

There is an introductory rate of $45.00 for the first two Saturdays of participation until mid November, with the regular fee of $65.00 per week. Public liability insurance is required, either your own , or we can provide it on a weekly basis. You also need your own marquees , and a 3m x 3m space will be provided with some smaller sites available on request. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be at one of the most popular venues over the summer for tourists and locals alike, as places are limited for each product.

Visit the website for more details and application forms or contact Deborah to confirm your booking sooner rather than later.

www.hillarysmarket.com

hillarysmarket@yahoo.com.au


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Dalkieth Christmas Gift Fair

Usually a local event, the organiser has decided to make the Dalkeith Christmas Gift Fair a little bit bigger then usual. Promoted through local schools, advertising and letter drops the fair will be in the second week of December (TBC). A proportion of the stall fees will go towards the P&C of three local schools (what a great idea!!). Interested? Contact Camille Lane - camille@camillelane.com with a brief description of your product and an expression of interest for an application form. (There will be a stall fee of about $50 - $100 from each vendor)


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Got anymore news & need us to tell everyone? Then please contact us at
mailto:admin@madeontheleft.com