First-ever Fun Design Market in Helsinki
On August 31, 2024, we proudly hosted our very first Fun Design Market, and we’re thrilled to say it was a remarkable success—despite a few challenges along the way.
The dream of creating a local design market had been on our minds for a while, but it wasn’t until Nikita joined our team that we found the courage to bring it to life. Our vision was ambitious: to craft an event that felt as vibrant and dynamic as major design fairs while remaining inclusive and accessible to younger and emerging creatives. We wanted a market that wasn’t just fun for visitors but meaningful and rewarding for participants too.
Turning this vision into reality, however, was no small feat. We faced five key challenges:
- Ensuring visitors would attend
- Choosing the perfect date
- Securing a suitable venue
- Acquiring tables for the event
- Attracting artists and food vendors
Making it come true
After careful planning, we took a bold leap and chose an outdoor venue: the square in Ruoholahti. This metro-accessible location offered ample space and the bonus of being near a popular yearly comic book festival. To capitalize on this synergy, we scheduled our market to coincide with the festival, hoping to draw in more visitors.
With the date and venue set, the real work began: budgeting, sourcing tables (a big thank you to Juhlamaailma for their support!), designing promotional content, and reaching out to artists and food vendors.
To our amazement, the creative community embraced our idea wholeheartedly. Within just a week, we had all the participants we needed! Their enthusiasm fueled us to go above and beyond—for example, offering free warm drinks to all the artists as a small token of appreciation.
But even with everything in place, one big question loomed over us: Would visitors actually come?
The big day
The morning of August 31 greeted us with… heavy rain.
At 9 AM, as we set up tables in the downpour, we anxiously watched the skies, hoping the forecast was right about clear weather by 11 AM—the event’s official start time.
Some artists, equipped with tents, began setting up early, and as the weather gradually improved, more followed. To our relief, visitors began arriving even before everything was fully ready.
By midday, the square was bustling with people, and the event truly began to feel like the “fun” design market we had envisioned.
Throughout the day, we worked tirelessly to support both artists and visitors, fostering a sense of community and ensuring everyone felt welcomed.
A highlight of the event was the “Best Table” contest, hosted in collaboration with our partner, Tempera. Visitors and participants cast their votes, and our talented winners—Tomatowen, Valioart, and Rafael Guerra—received gift certificates for the Tempura art supplies shop.
The numbers speak
The market featured
- 50 talented artists, showcasing an incredible variety of creations, from stickers and jewelry to pottery, textiles, and paintings.
- Three interactive workshops, where attendees got hands-on and created art on the spot.
- Three food vendors, serving up delicious treats to keep everyone energized.
Despite the rainy start, the event attracted an estimated 1,300 visitors—a turnout that exceeded our expectations and filled us with gratitude.
To understand what worked and what could be improved, we collected feedback from visitors and participants. Here’s what we learned:
- Visitors rated the market 4.1 out of 5 (based on 39 reviews), with suggestions for more artists and greater variety.
- Artists rated the experience 4.6 out of 5 (based on 29 reviews), praising the organization, communication, marketing, visitor engagement, and the event’s overall atmosphere.
Key improvement areas included better table placement, extending the event’s duration, and offering indoor or tented spaces to mitigate weather concerns.
Thank you
We couldn’t have done this without the incredible support of our creative community. A heartfelt thank you to every artist, crafter, workshop host, and visitor who joined us on this journey. You made this event unforgettable, and we’re already looking forward to making the next Fun Design Market even better!
Stay tuned for updates—we can’t wait to see you at the next one!