There have already been multiple arts and crafts markets in the city and Weledeh Catholic School didn’t want to miss out.
The school hosted its May Long Weekend Art and Craft Sale, which attracted more than 30 vendors to the school’s gym. Betsy Lucko, one of the teachers at the school, said that this was the first time they had organized a spring craft sale, but she felt confident it would go off without a hitch.
“There really haven’t been a lot of spring craft sales in Yellowknife," she said. "Most of the craft sales focus on Christmas and winter, so we wanted to give the crafters and the vendors an opportunity to sell during the spring before everyone goes on their summer vacation."
She added that the event was not only a platform for the crafters in the city, but also a fundraiser for the school’s organizations, which include a traditional games group, literacy team, Christian leadership team, and musical choir.
Jonathan Gillingham, owner of Jonathan Gillingham Photography, was one of the vendors at the craft sale. He focuses on wildlife and portrait photography and is still a fairly new resident in the city, having moved from Norman Wells in February.
He said the sale was a good chance for him to establish more connections in the city and help his business grow.
Although he’s a newcomer, this wasn’t the first time Gillingham had attended any kind of market in the city. He said that NWT Arts used to provide grants for him to travel to the city, and now that he’s moved here full-time, he’s looking forward to attending more markets in the future.
Arthur Elms, owner of AE Woodworks, brought his homemade kitchen essentials to the sale. He said that the business started as a personal hobby, but the pandemic in 2020 triggered him to start his own small business to help make good use of his time at home.