'Dream come true' for couple opening north Norfolk gallery

Katy and John Frith are opening the Makers Gallery in Chapel Yard in Holt on Friday (July 15).

The space is designed for crafters and artisans to showcase their wares and will be available to rent on a weekly basis.

Ms Frith, 44, an HR Consultant, grew up in nearby Gresham and her first job was at the former Pied Piper, a stone’s throw from the doors of the Makers Gallery.

Mr Frith, 55, is an artist himself and will be the first artist in residence throughout July.

Ms Frith said the gallery will be an opportunity for artists and craftspeople to have a presence on the High Street and increase their following.

"The pandemic led to many creative minds setting up new businesses on line, and the idea of the pop up space is for these to rent a space in a bustling market town where their followers can see their work on show and to gain a wider customer base too," she said.

"It's so they can test the market and see what people are looking at."

So far the couple have lined up a jeweler, an artist, a printmaker, as well as people making ceramics and textiles.

Ms Frith said the idea for the gallery came from seeing other pop-up galleries in Suffolk.

"It's always been a dream of ours to do something like this," she said. "And Chapel Yard is such a bustling place with a cafe, a salon, an antique shop."

Mr Frith, a retired police officer, has been a full-time artist for the last eight years. He has previously rented pop-up galleries in venues around Suffolk.

"It really increases his social media following and his audience," Ms Frith said.

The gallery is in a premises that has been unoccupied for around two years and was previously known as Past Caring, a vintage clothes shop for the last 30 years.

The Makers Gallery Holt has been renovated and is adaptable to display many different crafts such as pottery, jewellery, textiles, and artists with multi functional peg boards for shelving and lots of display space.