Set inside a fabulous old industrial building heaves a market filled with life, creativity and spirit, bound only by the limits of four walls and the imagination of its stall holders who frequent there every Sunday.

Some say there’s no better way to spend your day sampling gourmet goodies and admiring the craftsmanship of local and regional designers at the Old Bus Depot Market (OBDM). While for others, it’s the doorway into Canberra’s market scene, (yes, we do have one!), finding inspiration and restocking the pantry with farm-fresh produce, baked goods and organic meats for the week ahead.

But for those who have a way with their hands and a creative mind, it has become a way of life, and a rather sustainable one too.

You just have to ask local textiles artist, Jill Grant who works with vintage Japanese kimono fabrics and has been a regular stallholder for almost seven years.

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“I started my online business selling Japanese kimono fabrics about 10 years ago while teaching History and Geography at a local school,” she says.

“But after a few years, my daughter and I found ourselves making accessories such as hair pieces and brooches from bits of fabrics and cut offs, which we originally started selling at another local market.

“The Old Bus Depot Market organisers approached me after seeing our products and asked me to consider selling at their weekly market—seven years later and I’m still here.”

Yet what most people don’t realise is that the OBDM isn’t just for local Canberra creatives; many travel from inland and interstate to share their wares in the nation’s capital.

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In March last year, as the leaves began to change colour, contemporary Indigenous artist Danielle Sullivan turned a new leaf herself and applied for a stall at the OBDM. Despite living in Sydney’s southwest, the distance proved to be no issue as she committed to the commute each weekend.

“It is seriously a great market,” says the young mum of three. “The customers are forever changing, there is a high standard of handmade goods and a great mix of produce and food stallholders.”

The inspiration to join the market scene was a driving force that came in the form of her husband and her pregnancy with their third child.

“My husband has been a great inspiration for me,” says Danielle. “But the market scene itself worked for me and my products, so I quit my job and started working my business on a full time basis, doing markets every weekend.”

“Sydney has a huge market scene, but those markets don’t compare to Old Bus Depot Markets in terms of the conditions for stallholders, including being fully undercover and its location which minimises direct competition with retailers. ”

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A livelihood for many stallhollders, including Danielle and Jill, many have an extended business with both an online and market stall component; but it is the opportunity to experiment with new products, and grow their business with minimal overheads and beyond the dollar signs, that keeps them coming back.

“Adjusting from a traditional career to one with creative passion is very different,” says Jill.

“But it’s great to meet a diversity of people, whether it’s interstate visitor or stallholders, and seek feedback from customers when they come via my stall.

“I’ve also learned that there is a need for continual innovation and change—it’s easy to become stagnant and so I’m always looking for new ideas and designs now.”

For Danielle, attending the OBDM has helped her grow her database, which she says is the key to creating a name for yourself in the market scene and encouraging repeat business.

“It’s great that I can tell them I attend the first and second Sunday of the month; it makes me easily accessible,” says the former youth health services officer.

“I think the biggest growth I’ve seen in my business is to believe in myself and my dreams, listen to my customers…you never stop learning both your strengths and weaknesses in business.”

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But like anything, Jill says you need to take the good with the bad, which means fronting up on those cold, dreary winter mornings.

“It’s important to look at the markets over the whole year to get a true appreciation for your business’ growth,” she says.

“Be optimistic and have faith in yourself; if you’ve been accepted then know that your product is great and a good reason to hang in there and persevere.”

From new customers to the always vibrant and transient community, every weekend is guaranteed to be different, so come rain, hail or shine there’s really no excuse not to miss the Old Bus Depot Markets.

Jill Grant is a Canberra-based textile artist who works with vintage Japanese kimono fabrics. A retired history and geography teacher, Jill also sells the fabrics online at KimoYES and products she makes herself at the Old Bus Depot Markets every Sunday unless she sourcing fabrics in Japan or attending one of the many quilt and craft shows interstate.

Danielle Mate-Sullivan is an Indigenous Australian artist with an interesting style that sees traditional techniques mixed with contemporary flavour using bright colours. Based in Sydney’s Liverpool, Danielle travels twice a month to sell her original works and canvas prints and can be found at the Old Bus Depot Markets on the first and second Sunday of every month.

The essentials

What: Old Bus Depot Markets
When: From 10am to 4pm, every Sunday
Where: 21 Wentworth Ave, Kingston
How much: Free
Web: www.obdm.com.au

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