The Crafts Fair at Frue Plads turns 40 this year. An idea that began with ceramic pots displayed directly on the ground. Today, interest in the beautiful fair with its generous selection of crafts is steadily increasing, and there are indications that the fair will still be here in another 40 years.

It started modestly, initiated by the ceramist couple Hans and Birgitte Börjesson, who for four years had participated in a fair in Oslo, where oil and optimism flowed freely. Encouraged by their successful sales, the couple thought it would be a great idea to create such a fair in Copenhagen. The year was 1983, and together with a few other ceramists, the chairman of the City Association, and Jørgen Nørgaard from Nørgaard on Strøget, they met in the city center to find a suitable location

The Market’s DNA Evolves

Nina Linde served as the secretariat leader for Danish Crafts & Design Association for 23 years until 2008, and was deeply involved in the development of the Frue Plads Market. From physically counting money and carrying it home in bags, to conceiving aesthetic and functional improvements for both exhibitors and the audience. Today, among other things, the market has both opening speeches and an award – ‘Håndfuglen’, which is presented to the exhibitor of the year by a selected jury.

“Glass artist Anders Raad was for many years both on the board and the market committee. He got the scout corps involved as helpers. It was brilliant. My mother baked cakes for Frue Plads in the beginning, because there’s nothing like coffee and cake to get people to stay longer. The fire department provided water, just as we got electricity from the University and stored things safely overnight in the church. All the administrative work has become much easier now. Back then, there were no mobile phones, and when the Dankort (Danish debit card) was introduced, guests could pay with a card using a ‘fly swatter’ at the information booth, after which the craftsmen were settled. Now, MobilePay has made everything efficient and reduced administrative burden. This has made room to focus on branding and marketing.”

“In the beginning, there was only a single goldsmith, Kirsten Pontoppidan, who had the highest sales, just as more and more textile people joined. There was always a little drama about the spaces when one wanted to expand, because textiles preferably had to be in the sun. Many of the new ideas came with the new textile people like Vibeke Jerichau. People queued up here, as she only had unique scarves. When the market opened on Thursday, it became a spectacle where people would come in to find the ‘new’,” says Nina Linde and continues:

“One year, the stalls were assessed for their quality. Aesthetics were important. Three-meter-long tables were introduced, uniform umbrellas, and a collaboration with the Sitas nursery, which provided green plants between the stalls. We also invited the young goldsmiths from Institut for Ædelmetal (the Institute for Precious Metals) and established a junior award, which brought even more jewelry people on board.”

“The Frue Plads Market is thus both about sales, marketing, direct contact with customers, and networking among industry peers and colleagues. This combination is unique, as most practitioners work alone in their workshops. Therefore, it’s invaluable to meet each other in the field and share knowledge and experiences, just as it provides invaluable feedback to meet one’s customers and take home input and inspiration from the many conversations,” concludes Nina Linda.

Curiosity and Dialogue

Anna Friberg is a jewellery artist and won the Håndfuglen last year. She is participating in the market for the third time and finds the atmosphere welcoming and curious.

“The audience at the market truly values design and craftwork, so there’s room to talk about the process behind the finished pieces, materials, or ideas. My pieces carry a lot of history, which is why it’s important for me to be able to convey the concept in the techniques I use and the idea behind it. I can also feel that this has value for the audience. Therefore, for me, the market isn’t exclusively about sales, but just as much about meeting new people and showing them what I do. I also see it as a dialogue where there’s an opportunity to get a lot of feedback from a broad audience on new ideas or pieces that I can continue working on afterwards.”

Paper artist Mie Frey Damgaard is participating for the fifth time and also strongly feels that the audience is interested in the process and the techniques she works with. And this wasn’t a given, since Mie Frey Damgaard’s pieces are somewhat atypical in the context of the market.

“It’s probably an advantage to be a bit atypical. Maybe that’s also why the audience seems so curious, because they haven’t just talked to someone else about almost the same thing. I also use the market to test new materials and techniques. Apart from selling and showcasing my pieces, I also get a lot of feedback and new contacts. In the past few years, I’ve added a lot of things to my calendar after the market has ended, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it happens again this year,” says Mie Frey Damgaard

Quality Attracts the Audience

The visitors to the market are loyal and are willing to travel far to revisit the market. Molecular biologist Charlotte Brasch Andersen has been visiting the Frue Plads Market for 25 years, recommended by her mother’s friend. And even though Charlotte Brasch Andersen has lived in Odense for the past 15 years, she faithfully makes the journey to Frue Plads in August.

“Copenhagen isn’t too far away, and it’s lovely in the summer. The market has a great atmosphere, and it’s something I look forward to. This is where you find the crème de la crème of craftspeople, and new ones keep being introduced. It’s wonderful to have so much quality gathered in one place. And I enjoy the contact with the craftspeople,” says Charlotte Brasch Andersen, continuing:

“There are certain craftspeople I always have to visit – and I get so disappointed if they aren’t there. I mainly look at ceramics, jewellery, and textiles, and I never come home empty-handed. Sometimes I’ve waited to deal directly with the artist at the market, and other times I’ve ordered pieces in specific colors after talking to the artist. In good years, I come home with surprises from new artists. It has also happened that I get introduced to new artists, whom I later seek out at their workshop or store.”

Market’s Relevance and Future

So we return to aesthetics. And renewal. Core values in craftwork per se, and something the audience looks forward to being inspired by. When asked if the market might exist in another 40 years, paper artist Mie Frey Damgaard responds:

“I hope so, and believe it will. The analog, intimate, and time-consuming nature of crafts will only become more important in a world where too many products are mass-produced with too short a lifespan. The world is a hectic place, and I believe the process and materials in craftwork provide the viewer with a space for immersion. In our privileged world, many of us live with a certain degree of overconsumption. I think about this, as I also introduce new ‘products’ (pieces) to the world. But I often find that those who buy my pieces do so thoughtfully. They consider their purchase. Perhaps because of the price, but not solely for that reason. The immersion and quality that craftwork contributes give the market its rightful place in a world with far too many things.”

The direct conversation between the audience and the practitioner is another quality that Charlotte Brasch Andersen believes is the market’s absolute strength.

“The direct contact means a great deal. I love that people are passionate about what they do. I believe the market will survive in the future because you can see, feel, and touch. And because they are beautiful pieces. Aesthetics just work better ‘live’ and not through a screen. I often introduce new people to the market, and they are always impressed by the quality. But it’s important for the market to renew itself and for new artists to come in every year,” emphasizes Charlotte Brasch Andersen.

Anna Friberg also believes in a future for the market, partly due to the personal encounter, but also because of the presentation of the craft, the materials, and the ideas.

“The meeting between the craftsperson and the audience is incredibly important. Today, it’s more and more rare to actually meet the artist who designed the cup you have in your kitchen or the jewelry you wear. We can mass-produce almost everything, and unfortunately, this comes at the expense of traditional craftsmanship. That’s why I believe that craft markets spotlight the talented individuals who create pieces from scratch.”

Sources

Interview with ceramist Birgitte Börjesson, Fulby Ceramics
Interview with former Secretariat Leader for the Danish Crafts & Design Association, Nina Linde
Interview with jewellery artist Anna Friberg
Interview with paper artist Mie Frey Damgaard
Interview with molecular biologist Charlotte Brasch Andersen

It is the Danish Crafts & Design Association (DKoD) that organizes the Frue Plads Market. Only members of the association can exhibit at the market. DKoD has about 550 members spread across the country, and in addition to the market, the association also organizes ongoing exhibitions in Officinet, the Biennale for Crafts & Design, the magazine Formkraft, as well as a Christmas market in collaboration with the Design Museum Denmark.
Read more about the association