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art & craft exhibitions showcase

Showcase Exhibition | November 2025 – January 2026

We are delighted to welcome three local artists in the Showcase for November, December & January.

Displaying their work are Lesley Wickham, Melodie Cook and Sarah Woodcock.

Cwmchwefru Wool – Lesley Wickham 

Lesley moved on from ‘bought in wool’ to growing her own. Over thirty years later and she has bred sheep in many shades. The wool is spun by a mill local to Lesley, and is left un-dyed, designed and knitted by Lesley, close to her sheep. 

The Cabinet of Curious Pots & Creatures – Melodie Cook

Ceramic sculpture is now an established part of Melodie’s artistic practice. Added to her extraordinary still life work using pastels and charcoal.

Hopton Leather – Sarah Woodcock

“I aim to make pieces in my leatherwork which are both beautiful and useful. Using the highest-quality natural materials and traditional craftsmanship, I want each piece to last and be loved, passing on through generations, and becoming more beautiful through time and use as they age”. 

You can visit the Showcase any Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm upstairs in the main building at designermakers21. All works on display are for sale.

Opening times: 10am-5pm, Thursdays to Saturdays

Location: First floor Showcase Gallery at designermakers21

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art & craft fairs Events

Christmas Fayre | Saturday 29th November

Christmas Fayre at designermakers21, with 11 visiting artists stalls, alongside our studio members, and work by associates in the galleries.
Saturday 29th November 10am-4pm, with wonderful handmade gifts, festive drinks and nibbles!

Artist Stalls:

Mark Papworth – Leatherwork

Becky Whatley – Painting & Needle Felted Creatures

James Collier – Pargetting

Heather Richards – Ceramics

Roz Barnet – Textiles

Teresa Frampton – Painting & Book Binding

Kate Heath – Jewellery

Sue Hulme – Felting

Suzanne Campbell – Fused Glass

Matt Brewer – Jewellery

Rachel Heather – Wooden Wears

Opening Times: 10am-4pm, Free Entry

Location: downstairs at designermakers21, Diss

Pyrography and oil painting by Becky whatley with needle felted creatures
pargetted plaster lion by James Collier
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art & craft exhibitions Saori Weaving

Saori VII, Exhibition of Weaving | 6th – 27th November 2025

 SAORI VII

An exhibition showcasing work by
East Anglian SAORI weavers.

This collection provides an opportunity to experience some of the exciting and diverse range of work created by weavers throughout East Anglia.

All the artists practise SAORI weaving as part of their process. All pieces, like their makers, are truly unique. Most work is for sale and makes great presents!

We look forward to seeing you in November.

The exhibition runs from Thursday 6th – Thursday 27th November 2025.

Opening Times: Thursday-Saturday, 10am-5pm

Location: Upstairs Exhibition Space at designermakers21, Diss

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Events Archive

‘Have a Go’ Day Saturday 25th October 11am-3pm

Come and try your hand at a variety of crafts practised at designermakers21. Explore our unique community, and learn a new skill.

Our members will be running fantastic drop-in activities between 11am-3pm. Unleash your inner creativity and have a go at…

  • Making a lino printed card
  • Pronto plate printing
  • Creating a community mosaic
  • Expressive mark-making

and, just in time for Halloween, get all spooky

  • Creating clay ‘beasts’
  • Designing Halloween inspired tetrapac prints
  • Making Besoms (think witch’s broom!)

£5 per activity, with all proceeds going to designermakersCIO fundraising.

No booking required, but at busy times you may be asked to wait before taking part in an activity. All ages welcome, children must be accompanied at all times.

Opening times: 11am-3pm

Location: ground and first floor studios at designermakers21

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Events Archive

Heritage Open Days | 18th -20th September

Celebrate Heritage Making at designermakers21 as part of the national Heritage Open Days

21 St. Nicholas Street, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 4LB

An Exhibition of Heritage Crafts in the heart of the Heritage Triangle in Diss. Showcasing brush making, paper making, lithographic printing all within the former ironmongers at 21 St Nicholas Street. Free workshops and demonstrations.

Diss, as an important market town, has always been the centre of both local commerce and manufacturing. We tend to forget how self-contained a town like Diss was- supported by specialist crops and industries- to supply the needs of local people.

The pattern of the streets, still evident today, show how livestock was brought to auction, sold and processed for meat and leather, all within walking distance of the town centre.

Crops were grown to serve specialist manufacturing needs and brought in from the neighbouring fens supported by institutions such as the Corn Hall and factories like the Diss Brush Company. But there were a host of small businesses supplying everyday needs from a new hearth for the fireplace to a new broom for the yard; from paper to formally printed documents.

At 21 St Nicholas Street, in the building that was for many years the location of Albrights the ironmongers, there will be an exhibition of the history of the building and demonstrations of bisom (brush) making using materials cropped from the nearby heaths, and of paper making with samples of stone lithography used to print commercial documents. Come and have a go at making and seeing how the local economy was largely self-sufficient not that long ago.

What’s On & Timings

Thursday 18 September: 1000 – 1700 Exhibition, Papermaking demonstrations& ‘have a go’ 1030-1430

Friday 19 September: 1000 – 1700 Exhibition, 1400 – 1600 Lithographic printing demonstration

Saturday 20 September:1000 – 1700 Exhibition, 1030-12.30 & 1300-1500 Besom (brush) making demonstrations and ‘have a go’, 1100, 1300 & 1500 Lithographic Printing demos.

All activities are FREE, pre-booking preferred. Please contact Paul Sharrock https://www.delaltprint.com/bookings

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Events Archive

Showcase Exhibition | August – October 2025

We are delighted to welcome three local artists in the Showcase for August, September and October.

Displaying their work are Heather Richards, Becky Morgan and Sally-Ann Utting.

Heather Richards – ‘I produce an expansive range of whimsical ceramics. Mugs, jugs, vases, MUSHROOMS, hearts, beautiful up-facing flowers that catch the rain for bees to drink and a great deal more’

Becky Morgan (The Tulip House) – I am a textile artist and create a range of wildlife cushions and art works which incorporate repurposed fabrics. I use natural fibres such a wool, cotton and linens and try to champion UK produced textiles. My work is scanned to produce a range of prints and cards. My focus on repurposing textiles has also led me to create a range of gloves and scarves using repurposed second hand cashmere.’

Sally-Ann Utting – ‘I produce recycled art, inspired by surface, pattern, texture and order. Reused aluminium beer cans as a material has been a significant component of my work. my process has led to a cycle of collecting, selecting, cutting, weaving, manipulating and placing materials, producing collage and sculptural effects.’

You can visit the Showcase any Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm upstairs in the main building at designermakers21. All works on display are for sale.

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Events Archive

Summer Expo ’25 | 7th – 30th August 2025

‘Summer Expo ’25’


An exhibition of art by local people, celebrating their talent and creativity.

Featuring a wonderful variety of work including: painting, collage, print, textiles, embroidery, sculpture, wood, metal, watercolour & ink & felt.

Exhibition celebration afternoon Saturday 9th August 12-2pm, all welcome.

Opening Times: Thursday-Saturday, 10am-5pm

Location: Upstairs Exhibition Space at designermakers21, Diss

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Events Archive

Call For Submissions | Summer Exhibition 2025

Submissions are now closed for 2025

We are seeking applicants for the designermakers21 Summer Exhibition 2025. This year the exhibition will run from 7th – 30th August. Please register your interest by email to joy@jhmosaics.co.uk and kateweltonceramics@gmail.com.

Exhibition Entry details:

  • 1 item per entrant (at the Curators’ discretion)
  • First come first served, until we are full
  • Work is submitted at the artist’s own risk
  • Work must be delivered to designermakers21 between 31st July and 2nd August and collected after the exhibition on the 30th August from 4pm and before 6th September
  • All items will need to be clearly marked with the artist’s name or initials
  • A note must be included with your name, title or description of your work and your contact details so that your piece can be identified when you want it back!
  • We will sell the work for you if you wish. Payment for sales will be by bank transfer, less 20% commission (plus 2% for card sales)
  • Items for sale must be declared when delivered, with price and bank details included on your note
  • We aim to be as inclusive as possible but retain the right to not exhibit a piece that might be dangerous, offensive or simply not fit up the stairs!!
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Events Archive

‘Where The Wild Hearts Are’ Exhibition | 4th – 25th October 2025

‘Where The Wild Hearts Are’


An exhibition of photographical work from two Norfolk artists, Kally Davidson and Fay Jones.

Both with an eye for the subtle and the sublime, these two recorders of the curiously cordate have banded together to bring you their most heartfelt findings.

The wild hearts come, some in fleeting moments, their pulse strong but brief, marking temporal changes, and some steadily, with their small yet sturdy beats, witness to the longer flows of time.

With eyes wide open you too can receive love from the wild hearts.

The exhibition runs from Saturday 4th – Saturday 25th September 2025.

Preview evening Friday 3rd October 6:45-9pm, everybody welcome

Opening Times: Thursday-Saturday, 10am-5pm

Location: Upstairs Exhibition Space at designermakers21, Diss


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Events Archive

Diss High School A-Level Art Exhibition | 27th June – 12th July 2025

3.25

A Showcase by A-Level Art students from Diss High School.

The exhibition runs from Friday 27th June – Saturday 12th July.

Join us on Friday 27th June 4-6pm for the Preview Evening.

Opening Times: Thursday-Saturday, 10am-5pm

Location: Upstairs Exhibition Space at designermakers21, Diss