Unique events celebrating East Suffolk’s market towns.
December 2021-March 2023

The MarketPlace project initially saw four towns hosting pilot markets, all incorporating a mini-festival feel, with a range of live music from local musicians and DJs, street performances, workshops, locally-sourced food and drink as well as children’s activities. The project kicked off in Saxmundham in December 2021 and during the early spring made its way to Beccles, Lowestoft and Leiston, with each event reflecting a sense of place including stand-out businesses and key characteristics. A second phase of the project saw two more live pilot events taking place over the last days of summer 2022 in Halesworth and Southwold, with more events focussed on creating a sense of place within each location.

Running parallel to the pilot events, MarketPlace project delivered consultancy packages to eight East Suffolk towns, listening to their experiences of running events and advising on best practice for future event development. In Aldeburgh, Bungay, Felixstowe, Framlingham, Lowestoft, Southwold, Wickham Market and Woodbridge, the package of support offered group consultation sessions and one-on-one interviews across the towns, with each participating group offered a face-to-face masterclass with Wayne Hemingway, First Light C.I.C. Director and co-founder of HemingwayDesign Design Studio, as well as a digital toolkit of useful resources.