The Creative City Marketplace

        RATIONALE        

To complement the competitions and to further highlight the crafts and folk art sector, Ibagiw: The Baguio Creative City Festival 2019 organized an arts, crafts and food fair entitled The Creative City Marketplace. Beyond the opportunity for local artisans to exhibit and market their products, the fair also aimed to showcase the diversity of the local creative eco-system. So aside from the traditional crafts and folk art pieces that Bagiuo has come to be known for such as textiles, woodcarvings, basketry, silvercraft, among others, the marketplace allotted spaces for emerging contemporary crafts pieces and allied creative services providers.

The fair was scheduled to run for the whole duration of the festival from November 16-24, 2019.

         SELECTION PROCESS        

The call for submission of applications was made online in the festival’s website: www.ibagiw.com and shared extensively on social media. The secretariat personnel also disseminated the information via text messages to their respective personal contacts.

The project management team took o the responsibility of vetting the applications for exhibit spaces. The primary considerations in approving applications were:

Aesthetic value and craftsmanship 

Innovativeness and quality of product line 

Out of 30 applicants, 20 were approved. Also given complimentary spaces to exhibit are two of the festival’s major sposnors, HABI – The Philippine Textile Council which offered threads for weaving, Department of Trade and Industry – CAR which exhibited a selection of products from their One-Town-One-Product Center, Mayat-an Handicrafts in gratitude for her contributions as a consultant to the competitions and the Baguio Women’s Group upon the request of the Hon. Benjamin M. Magalong, Mayor and the Hon. Lulu Tabanda, Councilor.

        EXHIBIT SPACES         

The main exhibit space for the marketplace was in the area that the festival have named Imadavong Lane. The individual exhibit spaces had the following approximate floor area:

• Crafts - 20 Sq. Ft.
• Woodcarving/furniture, food and beverage – 35 Sq. Ft. 
• The allied creative services were assigned the Carino Room for their exhibit. 

The festival charged a participation fee to cover basic expenses for the staging of this activity. The following were the participation fee rates for the marketplace:

• Traditional woven, basketry and metal-silvercraft and other contemporary creative products -  P6,000,00 inclusive of BIR Special Permit, 1 exhibit table, 2 chairs and a framed table-top signage of their business name 
• Woodcarving and furniture - P9,000,00 inclusive of BIR Special Permit, 1 exhibit table, 2 chairs and a framed table-top signage of their business name 
• Food (excluding hot and cold beverages) - P8,000,00 inclusive of BIR Special Permit, 1 exhibit table, 2 chairs and a framed table-top signage of their business name
• Hot and cold beverages - P10,000,00 inclusive of BIR Special Permit, 1 exhibit table, 2 chairs and a framed table-top signage of their business name 

The whole floor area was divided into segments for each of the product/service categories. And while the exhibitors were allowed to choose their slots within those segments on a first-come, first-serve basis, the secretariat ultimately reserved the right to make adjustments and pre-assign certain slots.

        THE EXHIBITORS        

The following is the list of the marketplace exhibitors:

1. Ima Obra, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Upcycled apparel and accessories, leather bags and accessories, hand painted shirts, lamps, and henna tattooing. 
2. Domani Fashion House, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Hingyon, Ifugao - Garments, accessories, and bags using woven textile of Ifugao and the Cordilleras. 
3. Style Isle, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Quezon City - Woven earrings, weaving kits, clothing using handwoven textile from various areas of the Cordilleras and the rest of the country.
4. The Igorot Shop, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Woven textile dresses, skirts, ponchos, Igorot inspired accessories like gong and ling-ling-o necklaces. 
5. O.N.E. Jewelry Art, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City, Baguio City - Unique artisanal jewelry, upcycled accessories, antique and vintage wearable jewelry, and gemstone beading. 
6. Roby’s Pick/Pine Gypsy, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Woodcraft, accessories and apparels incorporating Cordillera inspired designs.
7. Everything is Pine, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Itogon, Benguet - Handwoven or coiled pine needles. Dry pine needles are twisted and bound to form various shapes and pieces that are then embellished into wearable accessories. 
8. Julienne Paran Design Studio and Souvenirs, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Ethnic wearables (clothing and accessories), bags, purse, table runners, pillow cases, etc.
9. Kenro Boutique, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Lagawe, Ifugao - Traditional handwoven fabric/ikat weaving from Ifugao innovated into fashion wearables like shawls, ponchos, leis, and bags, etc. 
10. Narda’s Handwoven Arts & Crafts, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Tublay, Benguet - Handwoven fashion accessories – scarves, shawls, ponchos, toppers, dresses, barongs and bags, etc. Housewares – placemats, table runners, wall decors, etc.
11. Greenfern Trading and Hinabicor Arts & Crafts, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, La Trinidad, Benguet - Baskets, bayongs, souvenir items, home accessories and décor. 
12. Ellebana Aklang Handicrafts, Agasme Marketing – Akzegories, Mazzi’s Arts and Crafts, Wandy Arts and Crafts Shop, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, La Trinidad, Benguet - Assorted accessories with woven textile, contemporary handmade jewelry, upcycled crafts and home décor, tokens, copper wire crafts and accessories. 
13. Gantsilyo Baguio, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Crochet mandalas, crochet wall hanging, crocheted wearables, yarns, etc. 
14. Shechem Arts & Crafts, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Footwear with woven fabric designs, souvenir items, knitted wear. 
15. Tayaban’s Furniture, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Woodcarving products like functional home accessories, décor and souvenirs; some tables and chairs. 
16. Café by the Ruins, Processed Food Products, Baguio City - Homemade baked products, processed food items, coffee, tapuey, organic eggs, and Café by the Ruins merchandise. 
17. Ibana: Vegetarian and Detox Café, Food Products, Baguio City - Baked samosa, whole wheat pizza wraps, etc.
18. Redsnapper, Food Products, Baguio City - Seafood meals, burgers. 
19. The Igorot Chef , Food Products, Baguio City - Cordilleran dishes, pork BBQ Sandwich, sisig nachos, etc. 
20. Red Soil Coffee Roastery/Dalikan Restaurant, Beverages, Baguio City - Local coffee and tea, fruit juices, fruit wines, etc. 
21. DTI-CAR,  - Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, processed food products, CAR - “pasalubong” items. 
22. HABI: The Philippine Textile Council, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Makati City - Philippine cotton yarns, cotton seed kits, books on textile. 
23. Mayat-an Handicrafts, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Basket and woven textile bags, woven accessories, woven textile. 
24. Baguio Women’s Group, Traditional/Contemporary Crafts, Baguio City - Handwoven home décor, bags, and accessories, crocheted accessories, upcycled handmade home décor. 
25. Paskalye Group of Artists, On-the-spot portrait sketching, Baguio City. 
26. R&R Events by Donna Baguindoc, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City 
27. Converge IT Solutions, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City.
28. Faith de Triomphe by Ethel Faith Toledo, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City.
29. CM Party Needs, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City. 
30. DecoRoom Baguio by Romeo Gonzales, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City.
31. MESH Events by Shiela Castro, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City.
32. Happy Bunny Photobooth, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City. 
33. Miels Flower Shoppe, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City. 
34. Jude Pudlao Photography, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City.
35. Klatsch Brewers, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City. 
36. Stellar Scents, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City. 
37. Jemasca HMU, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City.
38. LJ Peralta Rentals, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City.
39. Crusaders Travel and Tours, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City.
40. My Istante Crafts, Allied Creative Services (non-selling), Baguio City. 

        OBSERVATIONS, FOOTNOTES         

1. As in the Ibagiw Competitions in Crafts and Folk Art, one of the most noteworthy achievements of this activity is the sense of community that was forged among the exhibitors. Other than the exposure and actual economic benefits of their participation in this activity, the exhibitors shared that they were able to widen their respective networks, establish potential partnerships with their fellow creative economy stakeholders opening the possibility for collaborative efforts in the future.

2. The exhibitors acknowledged that the festival was well-organized and they appreciated that the project management team checked on their situation regularly. Camaraderie among exhibitors was also a plus in managing the Marketplace as there was no conflict among the vendors.

3. Sales were relatively good particularly during weekends when foot traffic to the venue significantly increases, but weekdays proved to be challenging to several exhibitors.

4. We noted that items that proved to be more sellable were the small/easy-to-bring items with prices that ranged from P30.00 – P450.00. Items that were priced higher than this range and those that were bulkier such as woodcarvings and furniture, among others, did not perform well. Although some exhibitors of such products shared this feedback from some customers: having a credit card machine during the event would have encouraged and enabled them, particularly those with less to no cash with them at the time of their visit, to purchase more products including those that were priced P500.00 and higher.

5. Although tourists formed a huge portion of the foot traffic to the venue, exhibitors noted that they made more transactions with local residents, particularly for pricier items.

6. Some exhibitors also observed that having nearby ATMs in the vicinity would be beneficial to both sellers and customers.

7. Although not all the exhibitors provided the secretariat with an average daily sales average, our own estimates based on available information indicate total gross revenues of P500,000.00 to 600,000.00 for the duration of the festival.

8. Exhibitors also shared that a wider space/floor area for each of the slots would have been beneficial, along with wider spaces for aisles in between the exhibitors.

9. The food and beverage concessions would appreciate the presence of a wash area for their kitchen and dining essentials as well as more seating or dining areas for customers.

10. It was also requested that there be more food concessions offering more choices that are affordable not only for the visitors but for the other exhibitors as well. It was also noted that the exhibitors welcomed the idea of an exclusive beverage concession.

11. In the aspect of packaging and dining needs, it was very challenging for the food and beverage concessions to implement the no plastic and/or disposables guideline especially for food to-go but they are aware that it is a must.

12. The exhibitors agree that the Heritage Hill and Nature Park is a suitable venue for events such as the Ibagiw Festival and having a marketplace is a welcome idea since site already enjoys a steady crowd of tourists even when there’s no ongoing special activity such as the festival.

13. Transportation and mobility became a concern because of the huge number of visitors, add to that the ongoing repairs along the road leading to the festival venue which all contributed to traffic jams particularly on weekends. This was a challenge for both audiences and customers as well as the participating artists and marketplace exhibitors.

14. It was also recommended that a huge visible map of the festival could have been installed along with more directional signs. Copies of the daily program or list of events could also have been provided to the exhibitors that could help them prepare especially for the food and beverage concessions in terms of inventory.

15. Ambient music should always be played to make the marketplace livelier especially when there are no ongoing performances or events in the main activity area.

16. The festival itself, though, resulted in a significantly increased foot traffic to the venue, including local residents who aren’t normally seen at the site but were there specifically for the festival’s activities and events.

17. The exhibitors expressed willingness to help improve the marketplace concept, particularly with promotion and advertising efforts.

        RECOMMENDATIONS         

1. Based on some of the observations forwarded both by the festival staff and exhibitors along with the data gathered from the 9-day activity, the format of the crafts and folk art category of the marketplace may be changed from having individual exhibitors to have a centralized shop to be managed and manned by in-house festival staff featuring selected products from different artisans.

This could also address the issue of more space as a centralized shop would require much less space.

2. A more aggressive marketing campaign could be initiated particularly to promote the marketplace.

3. While the festival was able to make arrangements with a bank for a credit card machine, lack of personnel prevented us from executing that arrangement. Given more pre-production time, the incoming project management team may follow through with this arrangement and make a credit card machine available and probably even explore the possibility of setting up a temporary ATM on-site for this year’s festival.

4. To make the Heritage Hill and Nature Park even more inviting and more conducive to such activities, proper and frequent maintenance of the venue’s basic facilities, such as the restrooms and indoor lighting, is recommended. In addition, security provisions may be installed such as doors and windows.

* With annotations by Mai Fianza-Sarmiento, stage manager in-charge of activity