Creative Cape Town

Built circa 1780, The Evangelical Lutheran Church is the oldest operating church in Cape Town. The Freeworld Design Centre is South Africa’s first trade-orientated coatings design centre. What do they have in common besides a courtyard? The Designer-Maker Artisan Market (15 December 2010).

The two institutions will together host a designer artisan festive season exhibition and market on the afternoon and evening of the church’s popular annual Carols by Candlelight. “This combined event will take place on 15 December at Freeworld Coatings’ new premises along Cape Town’s Fan Walk, with the market in the courtyard that lies between Freeworld Coatings and the church, and the carols taking place within the church itself. Visitors to the market will be able to enter the church from the courtyard and all faiths are welcome to attend the carols. There is no cost to attend either the market or the carols.”

Work from well-loved artisans, crafters and designers includes Heartworks, Helon Melon, Lorenzo Nassimbeni, Textures, Design Africa and Clementina van der Walt. The stalls were chosen by Lauren Shantall, Head of the Freeworld Design Centre. Lauren is a former curator and manager of the Design Indaba Expo. “The idea to have a high-quality event, in celebration of the festive season, offering really beautiful design objects ties in with Freeworld’s design philosophy, which is that by improving our environment we improve our general wellbeing,” says Shantall. Those who wish to be part of this two-way exchange are invited to donate kiddie’s gifts to the church orphanage on the day.

Expect handmade goods, traditional German Christmas fare (Birds), and food from Jacques Erasmus’ new Hemelhuijs cafe.

The market starts at 15h30; the carols at 20h00 and last for about an hour and a half. Easy to find, Freeworld Coatings is right by that pretty bridge on the Fan Walk over Buitengracht. The event is incorporated into WalkCapeTown, a post-World Cup initiative, which injects new energy into the Fan Walk with public events.

The Designer-Maker Artisan Market and festive carols
15h30 – 21h30
15 December 2010
courtyard at the Cape Waters Building, 71 Waterkant Street
Attendance FREE