The Nerve with… Call to the Faithful

Here We Aren’t are extremely proud to bring you Season 2 of Call to the Faithful’s podcast ‘The Nerve’. We are excited to be sponsoring this podcast, which will be made available wherever you usually find podcasts (for an audio version), as well as on HWA’s YouTube channel (for a video version).

As sponsor, we have provided The Nerve with the use of our studio space for recording and access to the wonderful talent of our in-house production team, to assist with recording and editing each episode. It is the first in what we hope will become a family of shows from HWA Productions, released via our YouTube channel, which shines a light on the music, art, culture, and life we see, live, enjoy, and experience everyday here at Here We Aren’t.

The first episode goes live on Friday 24th March featuring an interview with Moskito, so go click that subscribe button, so you never miss any episode of The Nerve and arep among the first to see all the other content we’re working on over here as soon as it’s out…

https://youtube.com/@herewearent

H.W.A. Partners with FGDJ Media

As Here We Aren’t has grown rapidly over the last couple of years, the demands of running the business have put a strain on the available time for us to manage and create content for our social media. To aid us in ensuring our customers are kept up to date, as well as entertained, we have partnered with FGDJ Media to take over the day to day running of our online social-media presence.

This partnership, however, runs a little deeper and we will be working together to offer H.W.A. customers some fantastic services to in-turn improve their own media.

Reel Talk

The first of these services on offer is an opportunity for FGDJ to create professionally shot/edited social-media reels at a discounted price. 5 x 30-second reels can be purchased and made for the introductory price of just £99!

If you wish to learn more, please email info@herewearent.com and we will be happy to discuss your requirements further and put you in touch with the FGDJ team.

The Merch Table… is back from the dead!

Come join us on 31st October for our re-launch event ‘Dia de los Muertos’ at our new premises, in our freshly renovated shop, at 18 Godric Square, Peterborough, PE2 7JL.

We have a lot of fresh new products from some of our existing partners as well as a wonderful selection of work from some new artists. Come be among the first to take them home!!

We’ll have a live DJ playing and free refreshments for all! We’re reopening our doors at 11am, so come on down and spend the day with us!!

An update – Aug 2020

The online shop is still open and you can still order many fantastic items from local Peterborough artists and musicians.

However, please excuse our appearance. We are in the process of renovating both our website and our new physical location (at 18 Godric Square, Peterborough). We will be back with you bigger, bolder, brighter, and better than ever before very soon… We’re excited to share what we have coming.

It would have been sooner, but then 2020 happened… so thanks for your patience!

The Glass Hub

In March 2019, almost a year since we opened our shutters on Peterborough City Market, we took over an additional stall with a view to use the space as a dedicated exhibition and workshop space.

Our inaugural artist in residence was Kieran Steels, who along with his company Street Arts Hire, have shown what the space is capable of offering: a space to enjoy art and music but also a space to interact and learn.

Coming soon will be a tool on here for you to be able to book onto workshops from various practitioners, including Street Arts Hire. If you are interested in anything you have seen at the Market, online, or through various media, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We are keen to work with other artists and creatives to diversify what we can offer people here on the city market so please also reach out if you are interested in working with us.

Please use our contact form here.

Reflections on our first week in retail

Last Tuesday, 17th April 2018, we finally opened the shutters on The Merch Table to the public. Born in my mind a few years ago, it has been an interesting journey to reach this point. I’m very proud that I’ve been able to build the business to this point and I’ve been overwhelmingly excited by the positive response we have received so far. IMG_20180420_134918

Peterborough City Market is much in need of a new lease of life and there are several new stall holders who have joined alongside us here to start to bring that. Most of the existing stall holders have been very welcoming and within a week we have been made to feel a part of a community.

The city council have been exceedingly supportive of us at Here We Aren’t. They are aware that much needs to be done to improve the profile of the market itself and to increase footfall over here. The market is unfortunately poorly located in Peterborough’s city centre in 2018. In 1963 it made sense to relocate to the market here, but there is not much to draw people through this part of the city centre. (Tesco have also now closed their entrance on Bayard Place, reducing footfall even further, but I shall refrain from remark about the supermarket giant here.) I feel that they see the potential Here We Aren’t’s new business venture and particularly the community-focussed aspect of what we are doing with The Merch Table. That could be a key to changing perceptions about the market itself and move toward their intention to turn this into a desirable shopping destination in its own right.

The most enthusiasm though has been received by those who have come by. I have been personally surprised by the diversity of those that have chosen to stop in and chat – talking about art and music as well as local culture and history. Some of them have even bought some items! It’s always a relief once you see that we were right: there is a market for the things we’re all creating!

Sure, sales are slow, but no business can expect a mad rush from day one – with little-to-no paid promotion or marketing spend yet. This soft launch has been a good way to gauge reaction and to reassure me that we’re moving in the right direction. I’m looking forward to seeing what the impact some real advertising and promotional efforts can make.

So, to summarise: it’s been a good start. Here’s to the future.