Businesses is blooming at FarGo Village!

Coventry’s only music shop and a miniature garden centre are blooming into life at FarGo Village at the city’s creative quarter where three other businesses are expanding at the popular location.AM Music has been launched to sell instruments and music equipment and provide lessons in a sound-proofed studio where they offer tuition on drums, piano, saxophone and guitar.

Black Flag Horticulture specialises in selling garden and horticultural products including plants whether customers have a window box or a garden.

Art Riot Collective is currently supporting three artists to have their own artist studio space and gallery space. This is situated in the market hall area of FarGo Village.
Sustainable fashion skate shop Project Number 5 has moved to Container 12 and will be introducing a skateboard ramp to create a skating destination while BiB Noodle Bar has expanded into Unit 13D as part of its growth plans.

All these exciting additions have been followed by Kirsty Viney joining the FarGo Village team as an Events Manager to bring new events to The Box.

Former secondary school music teacher Aaron Moloney has set-up AM Music school and instrument shop after organising the Jazz Jam sessions and music events at FarGo Village.

He said: “I love the Jazz Jam events and I thought FarGo Village would be the perfect fit for what I wanted to do. There isn’t a music shop in Coventry city centre any more apart from a guitar shop and certainly no-where you can buy drums and I wanted to teach in an enjoyable environment.

“Our lessons are open for anyone – our youngest student is seven and our oldest is 65 – and the business is going really well. I couldn’t have asked for a better first month. At our opening, we had a big jam session party with bands and local musicians and played music for the night.”

James King, of Black Flag Horticulture, said there was a real focus from him and store manager Mark Wilson on encouraging those with limited outdoor space to grow their own plants.

“I love the atmosphere at FarGo Village since it has friendly, creative and quirky businesses and we’re trying to encourage a more creative attitude to gardening and considering different species of plants to grow,” he said.

“I think gardening should be accessible to more people because even if you have a small space such as a window ledge in a flat, you can get involved, and it is extremely satisfying to watch the fruits of your labour grow.”

Kyla Craig, Creative Director at Art Riot Collective, said: “Art Riot Collective recently received funding from Art Council England. This will support the creative development of the artists who make up the collective as well as employing a number of freelance artists to help deepen practice and widen experience. This funding will also help us to include a number of family sensory art sessions.”

Henry Matthews from Project Number 5 has been based at FarGo Village for two-and-a-half years and is looking forward to taking his business to the next level.

“I’m hoping this move will increase footfall and it is going to be great to have outdoor space to add a skating ramp to bring more skaters here and help the community by providing lessons,” he said.

Qifen Bi, of BiB Noodle Bar, is moving to unit 13D to increase seating, for its increasing customer base who are tempted by their hand pulled noodles and dumplings.

She said: “We wanted space for growth, as this will give us more indoor seating and to allow more experimental menu items, along with our tasting menu.

“We have built BiB around our customers, who in turn, have become friends. FarGo has been a great help in getting the business off the ground which has been extremely enjoyable but hard work.”

Holly Hewitt, FarGo Village Manager, added: “We have always been focused on attracting independent, exciting businesses and it is fantastic that we have two new businesses move in as well as three more expanding here which underlines the dynamic destination that we have created.”

 

Fargo 1

Photo Caption: From the left, Aaron Moloney (AM Music), Kirsty Viney (Events Manager, The Box), Steve Randle (Black Flag Horticulture) and Qifen Bi (BIB Noodle Bar) at FarGo Village

 

Record Visitor Numbers at FarGo Village

Visitors to a community of independent Coventry businesses are on the rise and have surpassed pre-global pandemic levels.

FarGo Village is located a short walk from Coventry city centre and boasts a variety of different businesses including a Caribbean food restaurant, CrossFit gym, vinyl record shop and a sustainable fashion skate shop.

The venue also hosts events throughout the year including summer makers markets, vegan festivals and retro revivals.

One of the most popular attractions is the Coventry Dining Club takeover events, run by the successful Digbeth Dining Club that specialises in street food. Across the last two takeover events combined, nearly 13,000 people visited FarGo Village which is a steep rise on the 2,500-3,000 people that arrive on a normal Saturday’s trading.

Other events such as the Record Store Day, held in April, saw more than 5,000 people attend while just over 7,000 visitors and their canine companions attended its Dog Festival this month.

In previous years before the global pandemic, FarGo Village would expect to attract around 150,000 people from the start of the year through to the end of May. Across the first five months of 2023, more than 250,000 have made a visit.

Holly Hewitt, FarGo Village General and Venue Manager, said: “Our 2023 footfall is higher than in 2021 and 2022 so it seems that the general public’s confidence is coming back after the pandemic.

“As we don’t charge any entrance fees, most of our activities are low cost, and we also are a place where people can just hang out, so visitors can choose how much they spend, which helps negate the cost-of-living crisis.

“Our footfall figures are higher than pre-pandemic, presumably due to awareness of FarGo Village and a wider variety of events and activities.”

FarGo Village, which opened in 2014 at a cost of £5 million, has established favourites such as Dashing Blades barbershop, Gourmet Food Kitchen restaurant and Twisted Barrell brewery and regularly welcomes new arrivals. Most recently, Twentytwo Productions became Coventry’s first podcast studio and 3D Printing Forge is also opening this Spring.

The on-site businesses remain open when events take place and there’s plenty of them coming up this summer.

FarGo Live Latin is bringing Latin sound and dance on June 2 before a Vegan Festival takes over on June 10 and 11, featuring food, clothing and lifestyle demonstrations.

More than 30 stalls of local artisan crafters and makers will feature in the Makers Markets on June 24 and 25 and on July 29 there’s a Beards and Beers event.

The next Coventry Dining Club takeovers are on June 17, July 8 and August 12. For more information about upcoming events, visit www.fargovillage.co.uk

 

Another First for FarGo Village

Coventry’s first podcast studio has been launched as FarGo Village welcomes two new businesses on site as well as the expansion of an existing favourite.

The city’s creative quarter just outside the city centre has a strong reputation for providing opportunities for small businesses to grow and this spring, it has celebrated three significant milestones.
Two new names are present on site with Twentytwo Productions podcast studio and 3D Printing Forge being welcomed to FarGo Village – while Just Dropped In has significantly increased the size of its record shop.
Twentytwo Productions is a new venture from Twentytwo Digital, a full-service creative design and digital agency that is based in the Coventry Canal Warehouse.

The new venue will become Coventry’s first purpose-built podcast that will be accessible for those just looking to record all the way through to a fully-managed podcast production.
Twentytwo Productions’ Podcasting Lead is Coventry resident Taylor Pattinson, creator and host of the Waffle Shop podcast which has achieved in excess of 500,000 downloads.
“It is going to be one of the most creative spaces in Coventry,” Taylor said. “I’ve only ever recorded from my bedroom because when I’ve looked at going elsewhere for a studio, you’ve either got Leamington or Birmingham “This is a purpose-built podcast studio, Coventry’s first, and it’s really exciting to have that title.”

Twentytwo Digital’s head of marketing Emily Williams explained why they chose FarGo Village to launch the Twentytwo Productions podcast studio which will be officially launched with a special event on May 12.

Emily said: “FarGo has always been a space within Coventry that has always interested us. We’re a bunch of creatives, FarGo is a very creative space. We wanted the studio to be within a space where there’s other creative things going on so our clients can benefit from the other businesses at FarGo and vice versa.”

Just Dropped In started life as an independent record shop selling new and used vinyl out of a shipping container at FarGo Village in October 2018.
As its reputation for selling Indie, Psych, Rock, Dub and Electronic music grew, so did its premises and nine months later, business owner Alun Roberts upgraded to a bigger unit increasing the range and depth of Vinyl sold.
Now, Just Dropped In has taken its biggest step to the vacated space next door to double the record shop’s square footage.
The increased space will also allow Just Dropped In to build upon its already strong reputation as a live music venue that supports new music and artists as well as an even wider choice of new and second hand vinyl and cassettes.

Alun added: “A bigger unit means we can host more people for gigs, whether we keep stock out or strip it back and fill it up with people, it just increases the potential for what we can do and the kind of thing we can host.
“Coventry is a music city, there’s no doubt about it and the way people have supported the shop, especially since the pandemic, has really blown me away. “We’ve actually come out of Covid stronger as a business and there’s a real sense of community about what we do and that is really important to me.”

3D Printing Forge is a new business launched by Estonian Argo Hobenael, who first moved to England in 2006 before settling in Coventry two years ago. What started as a hobby designing and printing 3D objects alongside his full-time job has grown into a passion-project business, with the aim of creating an on-demand service to make 3D printing more accessible.
Argo said: “We create completely customised items. For me it is a hobby but not everyone wants to go through the hassle of getting their printer, there’s a lot that goes into it.  “People can send me CAD files of models, parts, decorative or functional parts, I’ll print it and post it back to them. “I want to make the process more accessible. If someone wants a part, I can make that happen. I also offer a design service, if someone has an idea but doesn’t necessarily have the CAD skills or design experience, I can help with that and make it happen.”
While 3D Printing Forge’s FarGo site isn’t a walk-in shop, with orders and enquiries coming through its website, Argo hopes one day to open the doors to customers if he goes full-time with the business.

He said: “It’s a cool community at FarGo Village. It’s a very nice mixture of very different businesses. It’s a perfect place to start a new business. They’ve got a small office available which is exactly what you need at the beginning.”
Holly Hewitt, FarGo Village General and Venue Manager, said: “We are excited to welcome new creative projects to our community here at FarGo Village. There are already connections being made.
“It’s incredibly encouraging that some of our existing businesses are expanding into larger spaces on site and shows that hard-working creative, independent businesses are valued, used and have the support locally to grow.”

 

Photo caption (6): Argo Hobenael (3D Printing Forge), Taylor Pattinson (Twentytwo Digital) and Alun Roberts (Just Dropped In) at FarGo Village.
Photo caption (11): Argo Hobenael at 3D Printing Forge’s new location in FarGo Village.
Photo caption (16): Taylor Pattinson inside Twentytwo Productions’ new podcast studio in FarGo Village.
Photo caption (18): Alun Roberts inside the new bigger Just Dropped In shop in FarGo Village.

Spring Makers Market

A maker’s market designed for you.

If you’re looking for that perfect, something.

That something unique, different, a gift that your everyday high street retailer doesn’t sell, look no further than FarGo Village up-and-coming makers’ market.

On the 1st and 2nd of April, why not head down to FarGo Village in Coventry, where you will find a bustling array of independent stalls run by the very best local artists, makers, designers, independent businesses, and more.

From plants to prints, ceramics to jewellery, some incredibly tasty treats, and great music to keep you going, FarGo Village is not only bringing communities together, but it’s bringing them alive.

Unusual, often homemade, and locally sourced, the quality and choice of goods and food you will find in FarGo Village make this event (the first in 2023 with others planned in the summer and autumn), not one to be missed.

Independent makers and designers….

….at your service.

Designed exclusively for creative, independent businesses, visitors to FarGo Village never leave disappointed.

With a rich cultural heritage, Fargo Village Makers Market is so much more than an opportunity to purchase amazing art, unique gifts, and delicious food.

It’s also about meeting with friends and family, and enjoying the taste of fresh ground coffee with a delicious, homemade cake in the other hand. It’s about feeling the creativity as you meander through the stalls and see what’s on offer. It’s about taking in the array of colours, intrinsic designs, smells, and sounds, that make you feel a million miles away from the high street.

From beautiful hand-embroidered designs by Ada Brown, Modern Hand Embroidery to paper flowers, greeting cards, and creative home décor pieces by Eliza Grace Makes, FarGo Village is the place to be this April weekend.

In addition, if you’re a plant lover like us, FarGo Village has traders available to dress up your plants! That’s right, Bits of Colour and Prickly Subjects are just two of the traders that will be available, waving goodbye to your dreary-looking plant pots and instead, introducing you to fun, colourful and unique designs that will certainly add character to your home.

Pop-Ups featuring….

Bryony Criddle, Owner, The Nine of Hearts Jewellery:

“I make a selection of handcrafted chunky Sterling Silver and gemstone jewellery using both traditional silversmithing techniques and also wax carving and casting. My work is inspired by my time in the tattoo industry (I do love a skull!) and also my love of vintage and antiquities.

  My work isn’t designed to be gendered, it’s simply designed to be worn by anyone who likes it, and I aim to make pieces people will really treasure. I’m trying to do my bit for the planet, so I have just started to work exclusively with recycled silver and the gemstones are use are all ethically sourced.”

This year, Fargo has more traders than ever before.

From some regular faces to new traders with new offerings and delights for visitors, and that’s not all….

There is a £5 entry fee for the clothes swap, and once inside, you can swap up to five items (all must be clean and usable). Whether you’re looking to disown the jacket that your distant Aunt Margot got you for Christmas or maybe the handbag that just brings back too many memories, at the clothes swap, one person’s pre-loved is another person’s, new love.

Why Fargo Makers Market?

Because it’s different. Relaxed. Unique. And every stall, every local independent business, oozes creativity and style.

Above all?

It brings people and communities together. Showing your support to local artists, designers, craftspeople, performers, and artisan food traders.

“I love Fargo, and the vibe is always really relaxed and it’s great seeing such a collective of talented designer makers all under one roof,” Bryony Criddle, Owner, The Nine of Hearts Jewellery.

FarGo Village will be a hive of activity from Saturday, 1st April, as it makes way for a dazzling local community market. So make sure to treat yourself or someone you love this spring with a locally produced gift that is as unique as them or brightens up the walls in your home with a piece of artwork that pulls you in and lets you drift away.

A unique and creative shopping experience

From handmade jewellery to bowls, handbags, eco-friendly products, and even taxidermy and entomology creations, you truly don’t know what you need until you see it at Fargo Village.

These markets are extremely important to many small businesses that rely on local trade and visitors to boost sales.

So what better way to kickstart the beginning of spring, and the lighter nights and warmer weather, than with a weekend of indie shopping at Fargo Village Makers Market?

Saturday 1st April, 11am – 5pm

Sunday 2nd April, 11am – 4pm

If you’ve got any questions, you can email the event organisers direct at fargo@fargovillage.co.uk. Alternatively, if you’re interested in trading at our next event, you will find an application form here: https://forms.gle/GwPabvtQeCjWK29F9.

 

Old Meets New in Coventry!

We were delighted to welcome a group of Travel Trade professionals from Canada earlier this month who were undertaking a whistle-stop tour of the West Midlands.   The group was hosted by the Destination Management organisation Visit Coventry.

 

The group spent an enjoyable afternoon trying out the beers at Twisted Barrel and checking out street art and shops in the Market Hall.

A full review of their trip can be found here: Spirit of the West Midlands – Travel CourierTravel Courier

We are recruiting!

We are looking for dynamic individuals to join our small but perfectly formed team!  No two days are ever the same at FarGo Village so we need people who are flexible, quick thinking and passionate about supporting small businesses and the creative arts.

We’re looking for an individual to join the FarGo team to help us on weekends with our busy exciting events schedule. This is a great opportunity if you have a passion for events, and want to see how everything looks behind the scenes, but also monitor everything on the day!

Job Description – Duty Managers 2023

 

 

Acclaimed fashion designer launches a shop at FarGo Village

An award-winning Coventry-born fashion designer has launched a new and bigger shop in the city’s Creative Quarter.

The acclaimed Ashley Raynor and her popular childrenswear brand Wear Milo’s has moved from a small unit at FarGo Village to larger premises at the haven for independent creative businesses.

 

Wear Milo’s specialises in childrenswear, from infants all the way up to children aged 12, and has now also added adult sizes and a variety of home furnishings to its impressive portfolio of bright and funky clothing ranges tailored to the younger members of families.

When making a trip to Wear Milo’s, visitors are thrown into an enchanted forest setting, with the newest tenants at FarGo Village looking to fit in with its innovative and independent business neighbours by creating a unique and fun shopping space that people of all ages can enjoy.

Visitors step into a multi-use space that also gives an insight into the working studio behind the garments, with customers seeing the journey their purchase goes on, right from the various materials being cut and sewing machines pulling it all together up to when it enters their hands at the till point.

The business is the brainchild of Ashley Raynor, a local girl who has made an impression both here in the UK and across the Atlantic, having had her fashion collections exhibited at New York Fashion Week and in Vogue Magazine– supplemented by pop-up stands showcasing her work at John Lewis department stores across the UK.

Ashley, who was named in the global top 20 emerging designers to watch by SwatchOn in 2020, is also a Director of Coventry Fashion Hub and wants to help the next generation looking to get into the industry to make their mark in the city, instead of looking to London for career opportunities.

Ashley, Owner of Wear Milo’s, said: “I’m really pleased to have brought Wear Milo’s back to Coventry and to FarGo Village in particular.

“The opening of our new base gives us a great platform to expand our operations in the region, collaborate with exciting local creators and designers on future collections and ultimately build on the experiences we’ve had with leading UK clothing retailers to gain even greater access to the high street.

“We’re enjoying seeing people in person again and can’t wait to welcome more Coventrians and other members of the public through our doors. Looking ahead, we’ve got some exciting ideas lined up and look forward to sharing them with everyone in due course.”

Jo Truslove, Project Marketing Manager at Complex Development Projects, said: “Ashley and Wear Milo’s were with us during the early days of our then up-and-coming complex – basing themselves out of a shipping container originally!

“We’re delighted to have welcomed them back to FarGo, this time in one of our largest unit spaces, which reflects the growth of the business in recent times.”

To discover more about Wear Milo’s and purchase items online, visit www.wearmilos.com.

Keep up to date with the journey of Ashley and Wear Milo’s by following them on Facebook and Instagram.

Screening Rights Festival: ‘Unapologetic’- a Friday night special

This Autumn, we’re joined by the acclaimed Screening Rights Festival team for one night of this year’s programme, on Friday 26th November from 6.30pm. Join us and watch ‘Unapologetic’, and also discover the work of Screening Rights Festival’s youth programme SAVI, and their fantastic films. To add the date to your calendar, or book your free ticket, check out our What’s On page here.

UNAPOLOGETIC | SYNOPSIS

Meet Janaé and Bella, two fierce abolitionists whose upbringing and experiences shape their activism and views on Black liberation. Through their lens, Unapologetic provides an inside look into the ongoing movement work that transformed Chicago, from the police murder of Rekia Boyd to the election of mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Unapologetic captures a tense and polarizing moment in Chicago’s fight for the livelihood of its Black residents. The film follows Janaé and Bella, two young abolitionist organizers, as they work within the Movement for Black Lives to seek justice for Rekia Boyd and Laquan McDonald, two young Black people killed by Chicago police. They aim to elevate a progressive platform for criminal justice to a police board led by Lori Lightfoot and a complicit city administration, while also elevating leadership by women and femmes.

 

JANAÉ BONSU, 24, moves from South Carolina to Chicago committed to pursuing her PHD in social work. However, in the midst of all of the trauma surrounding state and intra-community violence, the movement calls her for a higher purpose. She joins the Chicago chapter of Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100), a young activist organization committed to progressive change in Black communities through policy and direct action. Janaé ventures beyond the ivory towers of her university knee deep into the Movement, eventually rising the ranks to national policy chair. However, her enthusiasm to organize wanes as challenges and controversy strike the organization, forcing her to grapple with the physical and mental toll of leadership. With her academics faltering, she questions whether she has the stamina to achieve her personal goals while still fighting the good fight.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the city, a loudspeaker closely follows Chicago-native BELLA BAHHS, 22, at a protest as she proclaims, “this is Black history that we are making! Even if we don’t, our stories gon’ make it!” The crowd erupts. Soon after, a video of this performance goes viral, changing her presence both within and outside her Chicago community. She is thrust to the forefront of the Movement as an artist-activist. Internally, however, Bella grapples with the recent death of her grandmother, her primary caretaker while her parents were incarcerated. Only after Bella attends a picnic for a historic, local gang do we uncover her grandmother’s roots as a respected gang leader. But “gang” means something different to Bella; to her, they were the community leaders that gave kids school supplies and made sure the block was fed. So, when Bella powerfully leads the chant: “Protect and serve, we are the police! We’re taking back our community!,” it’s inspired by the grassroots leadership of the street warriors that raised her.

Throughout the film, we see how movement actions play out in the landscape of ‘Chicago’s city politics. After a slew of protests in response to the murder and coverup of Laquan McDonald, Mayor Rahm Emanuel fires Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. While seen as a win for the organizing community, our characters continue fighting deep, personal battles. After failing an assignment and risking her doctoral career, Janaé realizes the ways in which organizing can cause her to overextend herself. For Bella, the stakes are even higher. Her brother is sentenced to fifty years in prison, leaving her to balance her true purpose in movement work while her family struggles to survive within the criminal justice system. Furthermore, discord within the organizing community moves Janaé and Bella to reconsider the impact of their multi-year efforts. They find themselves unable to separate the movement from their personal lives and begin to ask – in a Trump-era America – what does a sustainable lifestyle look like for both their community and their own well being?

After winning a Soros Justice Fellowship to pursue work in criminal justice reform, Bella makes the courageous decision to create the Sister Survivor Network, an organization that aims to help heal women impacted by America’s prison system. Janaé overcomes the challenges of balancing organizing work and her PhD program by being elevated to the National Co-Director of BYP 100 and officially becoming a PhD candidate; in an emotional scene, she triumphantly defends her dissertation proposal.

 

 

UNAPOLOGETIC  | ARTISTIC STATEMENT 

In the winter of 2012, Rekia Boyd was just getting started in life. Her friends describe her as someone prone to smiles and laughter. She dotted her i’s with hearts, was a big Drake fan, and expressed herself freely on Facebook while trying to figure out her relationship status.

In the winter of 2012, I was also just getting started. I was in my first year at Northwestern University’s film program and was one of less than ten Black people in my class. A slew of racist campus events caused me to feel further isolated and pushed me to begin speaking out about how racism affected my everyday. Slowly but surely, I began integrating these realizations into my art.

In March of that same year, Rekia was hanging out with her friends near her home when she was killed by a stray bullet. It took three years for the police officer who shot her to be brought to court, and after years of waiting for justice, it was deemed a mistrial. It seemed that he would walk away without being held accountable.

Three years later, people of all ages from neighborhoods throughout Chicago came together to organize around their frustration. With nothing but a borrowed camera and monopod in hand, I joined the hundreds descending upon Chicago Police Headquarters to demand justice. The energy was electrifying. Black women on bullhorns stood in front of crowds leading the space. For the first time, I experienced a different narrative unfolding in the enduring struggle for Black freedom – one led by Black feminist voices. I couldn’t help but see myself in them.

Shortly after, I began to document two of these voices: JANAÉ BONSU, a 24-year-old pursuing her PhD in social work while also rising the ranks of a national activist organization; and BELLA BAHHS, a 22-year-old “rap-tivist” from the Westside of Chicago whose artistry and activism seek to heal women harmed by intergenerational effects of incarceration – women like herself. Over the course of two and a half years, we watch as these women grapple not only with what it means to lead a mass movement, but also to enter early adulthood as Black, queer women.

I have been a filmmaker for nine years now; Unapologetic is my feature film directorial debut. Five years after beginning production, we have completed the film. While this documentation was certainly important at the time of filming, it proves even more essential now, especially in light of the recent killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020. As Lori Lightfoot has become the first Black, openly-queer mayor of Chicago, mainstream media has championed her as a symbol of progressive growth. However, the current reality in the city counters that. After years of intentional work, organizers are working to educate the community around abolishing and divesting from policing, despite a new mayor bolstered by representative politics. Unapologetic intentionally centers the narratives of the Black queer feminist organizers who brought forth the progressive platform that set the stage for Chicago’s historic shift in leadership.

I have always known and felt the presence of Black resistance in my life. However, the strong feminine leadership in the Chicago movement caused me to question where my history had been placed. How might my world have been different if I saw a young PhD student or a rapper that looked like me organizing a mass movement? Unapologetic has given me an opportunity to discover more about myself through this legacy of resistance, and take a more active role in it.

What does one usually require of a Black movement leader? Certainly not femme. Certainly not queer. Certainly not flawed, or quick to anger, or overly opinionated. By focusing on this refreshing counter narrative within the Movement for Black Lives, I wanted to recognize this heroic and thankless work, catalyzing empathy, understanding, and hope in all viewers at such a critical time for Black lives.

 

— Ashley O’Shay

 

UNAPOLOGETIC | FESTIVALS

 

2020 Blackstar Film Festival (World Premiere)

2020 Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Fest (International Premiere)

2020 American Black Film Festival

2020 Black Harvest Film Festival

2020 Chagrin Documentary Film Festival

2020 CinemAfrica Film Festival

2020 Cucalorus Film Festival

2020 DOC NYC

2020 DocYard Film Series

2020 Frameline44

2020 Heartland Film Festival

2020 IDA Screening Series

2020 image+nation, Montreal LGBTQ Film Festival – WINNER: Jury Prize

2020 Indie Memphis Film Festival

2020 Melanin Pride Festival

2020 Montclair Film Festival

2020 Milwaukee Film Festival

2020 New Orleans Film Festival

2020 St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival

2020 St. Louis International Film Festival

2020 Unorthodocs

2021 Athena Film Festival – WINNER: Breakthrough Award

2021 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival

2021 Cleveland International Film Festival – WINNER: Groundbreaker Award

2021 Denton Black Film Festival

2021 Frauen Film Festival, Germany

2021 Hayti Heritage Film Festival

2021 Honolulu African-American Film Festival

2021 London Human Rights Watch Film Festival

2021 NYC Human Rights Watch Film Festival

2021 OUTShine Film Festival

2021 Outfest Fusion Film Festival

2021 TIFF Next Wave Film Festival

2021 Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

2021 Vermont International Split/Screen Series

 

Book your free tickets for and enjoy this incredible film from The Box, Friday 26th November from 6.30pm.

Green Rooms Market come to FarGo!

Welcome to Green Rooms Market at FarGo Village! We’re really excited to welcome them for their very first event in the Midlands! Green Rooms Market bring together all things botanical, so you can immerse yourself in plant shopping heaven at their regular markets and pop up events in London and beyond. Featuring plant-packed stalls, plant advice, kids craft and interactive workshops- their events are a treat for plant novices and green fingered pros.

 

We’ve thought really carefully about the best way to run this market to keep everyone safe, for our traders, staff, and of course, you! Read on to find out what to expect and the top 10 things you can do to support fiercely independent in a safe way this weekend.

 

  1. Social distancing

We’re  limiting numbers inside the market hall, to no more than 60 at any one time, so you’ll have plenty of space to move about and socially distance properly. Please maintain a distance of 1.5m from anyone not in your household or bubble. Please remember you can only socialise with up to 6 people from outside your household indoors, so you might need to limit how many people you can wander the market with.

  1. Queuing

Because we’ve got a limit on numbers inside the Market Hall, if we’re full when you arrive, you may be asked to queue for a few minutes until someone leaves. Please be patient, and queue 1.5m from people outside of your household/ bubble – we’ll have a designated spot for you to wait, and some lovely staff to direct you.

  1. Track and Trace

We will need to collect Track and trace information from every person entering the Market Hall. To make this process smoother and so you can enter faster, we recommend you download the NHS track and trace app before you get to FarGo, so you can scan our QR code at the gates or the Market Hall entrance, and then you just need to show your screen to the door staff instead of signing in manually! This is a legal requirement so you will need to register if you’d like to shop.

  1. Staff

We’ve got even more of our fab team than normal at this market, to make sure we can keep track of everything, and keep you guys safe. There will be someone on the door taking Track and Trace info, and stewarding to monitor numbers and to make sure we can answer questions, guide you round our one way system, and make sure everyone stays safe inside the venue.

  1. One way systems

So we can avoid overcrowding and problems with social distancing, we’ll have a one way system at this event. You will enter via the Market Hall entrance between Gourmet Food Kitchen and Choc N Roll, and exit through the shutter next to Pop Bang Colour. Inside, arrows on the floor will  guide you around the market. You can loop back round for another look still, but make sure you’re doing this where the arrows indicate!

  1. Face Masks

We will be asking everyone, including staff and traders, to always wear face masks inside the venue, unless exempt. This is necessary to enter the venue- please remember to put it on before you enter, so our staff don’t need to ask you!

  1. Wash your hands

We’ve got hand sanitizer stations at both the entrance and the exit of the market, for you to use. We also have sinks for handwashing too, so if hand sanitizer is getting to your skin a bit, we’ve got plan b ready!

  1. Please follow traders requests

All our traders have got measures in place to keep their stalls safe and clean for you, but this means you will need to ask before touching products and may be asked to use hand sanitizer first. Please listen to our lovely traders, they’ve got your safety in mind!

  1. Pay by card

Where possible, please pay by card, as this is much more hygienic than cash, and helps our traders keep you safe. Some traders may be operating card only over the weekend, so please bear this in mind and come with your card at the ready!

  1. Enjoy yourself!

There will be plenty of signage about on the day, and people to help out, so you can shop safe in the knowledge that we’re doing everything we can to keep you safe. Our cleaners will be regularly cleaning touch points to keep the venue hygienic. If you see something that you think we could be doing better, please let us know!

We can’t wait to see you back in the village, exploring our very own urban jungle, permanent shops, and grabbing a spot of lunch at the newly opened Factory (we’d definitely recommend it!) so we’ll see you on this weekend

 

Saturday 5th 10am-5pm and Sunday 6th 11am-4pm!

 

Welcoming Markets back for 2021

Vintage In The Village is back.  Welcome a fabulous day of all things vintage this May, for one day only, we want to bring some true vintage treasures, as well as some real bargains! Independent retailers, creatives and artists have everything ready for you starting from vintage clothing & accessories to homeware, vintage cars  and cookies.

We’ve thought really carefully about the best way to run this market to keep everyone safe, for our traders, staff, and of course, you! Read on to find out what to expect and the top 10 things you can do to support fiercely independent in a safe way this weekend.

 


  1. Social distancing

We’re  limiting numbers inside the market hall, to no more than 60 at any one time, so you’ll have plenty of space to move about and socially distance properly. Please maintain a distance of 1.5m from anyone not in your household or bubble. Please remember you cannot socialise inside with anyone outside of your household or bubble.


  1. Queuing

Because we’ve got a limit on numbers inside the Market Hall, if we’re full when you arrive, you may be asked to queue for a few minutes until someone leaves. Please be patient, and queue 1.5m from people outside of your household/ bubble – we’ll have a designated spot for you to wait, and some lovely staff to direct you.


  1. Track and Trace

We will need to collect Track and trace information from every person entering the Market Hall. To make this process smoother and so you can enter faster, we recommend you download the NHS track and trace app before you get to FarGo, so you can scan our QR code at the gates or the Market Hall entrance, and then you just need to show your screen to the door staff instead of signing in manually! This is a legal requirement so you will need to register if you’d like to shop.


  1. Staff

We’ve got even more of our fab team than normal at this market, to make sure we can keep track of everything, and keep you guys safe. There will be someone on the door taking Track and Trace info, someone on the exit counting you out, and another person floating around to make sure we can answer questions, guide you round our one way system, and make sure everyone stays safe inside the venue.


  1. One way systems

So we can avoid overcrowding and problems with social distancing, we’ll have a one way system at this event. You will enter via the Market Hall entrance between Gourmet Food Kitchen and Choc N Roll, and exit through the shutter next to Pop Bang Colour. Inside, arrows on the floor will  guide you around the market. You can loop back round for another look still, but make sure you’re doing this where the arrows indicate!


  1. Face Masks

We will be asking everyone, including staff and traders, to always wear face masks inside the venue, unless exempt. This is necessary to enter the venue- please remember to put it on before you enter, so our staff don’t need to ask you!


  1. Wash your hands

We’ve got hand sanitizer stations at both the entrance and the exit of the market, for you to use. We also have sinks for handwashing too, so if hand sanitizer is getting to your skin a bit, we’ve got plan b ready!


  1. Shop Online

If you’re not entirely comfortable joining the market in person this weekend, you can still support our fiercely independent makers by shopping online at our online marketplace! Check out makers profiles, see product previews and follow the links to order online and enjoy the market from the saftey of your home.


  1. Please follow traders requests

All our traders have got measures in place to keep their stalls safe and clean for you, but this means you will need to ask before touching products and may be asked to use hand sanitizer first. Please listen to our lovely traders, they’ve got your safety in mind!


  1. Pay by card

Where possible, please pay by card, as this is much more hygienic than cash, and helps our traders keep you safe. Some traders may be operating card only over the weekend, so please bear this in mind and come with your card at the ready!


There will be plenty of signage about on the day, and people to help out, so you can shop safe in the knowledge that we’re doing everything we can to keep you safe. Our cleaners will be regualrly cleaning touch points to kee the venue hygenic. If you see something that you think we could be doing better, please let us know! We can’t wait to see you back in the village, exploring our indie makers, permanent shops, and maybe grabbing a spot of lunch (we’d definitely recommend it!) so we’ll see you on this weekend, Saturday 24th 11am-5pm and Sunday 25th 11am-4pm!