Five Aberdeen creatives who designed products inspired by the Tall Ships’ return to the city, including a chair inspired by Aberdeen’s shipbuilding heritage, will showcase their work at a leading design market this month.
Tea Green Events are holding their fifth market at Aberdeen Art Gallery on Saturday 16 (10am-5pm) and Sunday 17 August 2025. (11am-4pm).
As well as meeting some of Scotland’s leading designers and makers, visitors will have the chance to engage with the five local makers who participated in the Tall Ships Aberdeen 2025 Makers Programme.
Now in its 11th year, Tea Green Events has become a major platform for independent Scottish designers, drawing thousands of visitors to its markets across the country. Founder Joanne MacFadyen, who sat on the advisory panel for the Tall Ships Makers Programme, awarded all five creatives complimentary spaces at the market to showcase their work, underlining Tea Green’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent and supporting regionally rooted design.
Joanne said, “We’re thrilled to return to the beautiful setting of Aberdeen Art Gallery. This market will feature an exciting mix of designers, many of whom are local, selling everything from ceramics, jewellery and silverware to illustrations, textiles and homeware. It’s also a chance to connect with the makers behind some incredible maritime-inspired pieces. It’s a perfect continuation of the energy and storytelling sparked by last month’s Tall Ships visit, which is set to attract attention while also providing the perfect platform for some of Aberdeen’s most talented makers.”
Among the featured designers is Ben Durack, Lecturer at Gray's School of Art and independent product designer, whose Tall Ships-inspired chair draws on Aberdeen’s shipbuilding legacy. Part of his Carlin Collection, the piece captures the evolution of ships from 18th-century wooden vessels to modern steel giants. Ben will also debut several new pieces at the market, including items inspired by Castlegate’s cobbled streets and customisable plywood wall maps.
Ben commented, “Tea Green markets are a brilliant showcase for the creative energy coming out of Aberdeen and Gray’s School of Art. It’s an honour to be part of this event, alongside so many of our graduates, whose work reflects the city’s history and environmental future. As well as raising our profile and giving us a chance to engage with the wider public, Tea Green gives us an invaluable platform to share our practice and sustainable design ethos with the public.”
Ben Durack will be joined by April Hay, Lindsay Johnston, Laura Sherriffs, and the collaborative team of Gabi Reith and Anne Marquiss, all of whom were selected for the Tall Ships Makers Programme, which was supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
They were tasked with translating the event's core themes of maritime history, environmental awareness and the sheer spectacle of the Tall Ships into tangible, captivating creations.
Each of the makers received a £1,500 award to develop their own Tall Ships-themed products, with winner Laura receiving a £5,000 prize.
The Aberdeen is part of Tea Green’s packed calendar of markets across the country this year, which are also being held at V&A Dundee, National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait, Bowhouse in the East Neuk of Fife and both Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and The Burrell in Collection in Glasgow.
For more information about Tea Green Markets and the programme of events, visit https://www.teagreen.co.uk/