Christmas markets, original art and independent shops to explore in 2026.
There’s a particular pleasure in finding a present that makes you think, “That is so them.” A print of a favourite stretch of coast. A handmade bowl they’ll use every morning. A painting they’ll want to keep long after the decorations get packed away into a box.
Plymouth’s artists, makers and independent shops offer plenty of those possibilities. This Christmas, you can meet makers at festive markets, browse paintings in local galleries and discover gifts tucked away in shops across the city. It’s so important to support local independent businesses and therefore the local people that own them. Please shop local this Christmas.
Meet the makers at a Christmas market
The Box Winter Makers Market
Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, 10am to 5pm | The Box, Tavistock Place | Free entry
Start your Christmas browsing with a weekend of local creativity. The Box’s Winter Makers Market brings together local artists and makers selling gifts and stocking fillers. It’s a chance to discover someone whose work you haven’t come across before, ask about how it’s made and choose something with a person behind it.
Fort Stamford’s Christmas Fayre
Sunday 22 November, 11am to 3pm | Fort Stamford Health & Fitness, Mount Batten | Free entry
With more than 40 stalls selling art, crafts and gifts, Fort Stamford offers an indoor shopping stop on the eastern side of the city. Wreath making, family activities and festive food are also advertised.
There’s free onsite parking. The organiser recommends bringing cash because reception inside the fort can be unreliable.
Plymouth Christmas Market and Crafter’s Cove
Thursday 26 November to Sunday 20 December | City centre
Look out for Crafter’s Cove within Plymouth Christmas Market. This dedicated craft area is advertised with more than 20 local artisans, offering handmade gifts, artwork and other creations.
It’s a useful starting point if you’re combining your usual city centre shopping with a search for something made by an independent creative.
Market opening hours are Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 10am to 6pm; Thursday, 10am to 9pm; Saturday, 10am to 7pm; and Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
Festive Campus Market
Thursday 26 November, 2pm to 8pm | University of Plymouth campus, Drake Circus
Head towards the Students’ Union for a festive market bringing local independent businesses onto campus. The published listing also includes live entertainment and the Christmas lights switch on, making this a handy afternoon or evening stop near the city centre.
Native Makers Winter Makers Market
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, 10am to 4pm | Market Hall, Devonport | Free entry
If meeting the people behind your presents is part of the appeal, put this weekend in your diary. Native Makers brings more than 60 makers and small businesses to Market Hall, with handmade work from across the South West.
Creative activities, demonstrations and taster workshops add to the browsing, with food and coffee available when you need a pause.
The venue for this year’s market is Market Hall in Devonport.
Plymstock Library Christmas Craft Market
Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December, 9am to 4.30pm | Plymstock Library
A neighbourhood shopping stop with local makers and small businesses selling handmade crafts and gifts. Drop into the library for a browse and see what catches your eye. It’s an easy way to bring a little creative Christmas shopping into an everyday trip to Plymstock.
Royal William Yard Festive Good Food & Craft Markets
Credit Codie Hobbs Photography
Selected dates in December | Melville building, Melville Corner and Melville Courtyard
Royal William Yard’s festive markets combine creative gift shopping with a waterfront wander. Browse stalls selling ceramics, art, candles and other artisan products, alongside food and drink.
There are six dates to choose from:
Wednesday 2, 9 and 16 December, 5pm to 9pm.
Sunday 6, 13 and 20 December, 10am to 3pm.
The trader line-up changes between markets, so there may be something different to discover on a return visit.
Across the water: Mount Edgcumbe Christmas Fair
Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December, 10am to 3.30pm | Mount Edgcumbe, Cornwall | Ticketed
For a festive excursion beyond the city, Mount Edgcumbe’s fair advertises more than 50 artisan exhibitors selling gifts and food.
Check the booking information before travelling: the venue asks visitors to book entry and parking in advance, and says you cannot arrive and park without a pre-booked ticket. Its listing also includes information about boat travel.
Find a painting, print or handmade piece to keep
Kaya Gallery, Barbican
53 Southside Street
For someone who loves Plymouth and the South West, Kaya is a natural place to browse. The gallery sells original work and prints, alongside photography and smaller creative gifts. Its online shop also includes Plymouth themed pieces, so you can have a look before visiting.
45 Southside, Barbican
45 Southside Street
Art doesn’t have to hang on a wall. This gallery specialises in ceramics, glass and metalwork from Devon and Cornwall, making it a good stop for a sculptural piece or a beautifully made object for the home.
Gallery, Barbican
23 Southside Street
A mix of vintage glass, contemporary handmade glass, pottery and artwork makes Gallery worth adding to a Southside Street browse. It’s a place to look closely at colour, shape and texture, and find something a little unexpected.
Canvas Gallery, Ebrington Street
56 Ebrington Street
Add Canvas to your Ebrington Street wander for contemporary art and a conversation about what might suit your home or the person you’re buying for. The gallery’s website says it is developing its space while remaining open as a gallery and offering framing.
Check its latest updates before a special trip.
Peirson & Peirson, Hyde Park
83 Hyde Park Road
Previously known as Artmill Gallery, Peirson & Peirson is a family gallery representing emerging and established artists. Its current Winter Show runs until 16 January 2027 and includes paintings and ceramics.
It’s a useful stop for a considered art purchase, with professional framing available too.
Explore the Winter Show
Location and opening hours
Deep Impressions, Mount Batten
Plymouth Yacht Haven hangars, Lawrence Road
For the person who would always rather be by the sea, explore the underwater inspired work of Deep Impressions. The studio’s marine art offers another way to bring a connection with the ocean into the home.
Check visiting arrangements directly before making a special journey.
Independent shops for smaller gifts and creative people
Rockpool Trading and Gosh! & Absolutely, Barbican
44 Southside Street
These neighbouring businesses share a shop space filled with creative gift possibilities. Rockpool Trading champions handmade and locally sourced work from Devon and Cornwall, while Gosh! & Absolutely makes lamps, lampshades and accessories, including pieces using repurposed bottles and fabric offcuts.
Rockpool Trading
Gosh! & Absolutely
Nolly’s Crafts & Gifts, West End
110 Cornwall Street
Nolly’s brings local crafts into the West End, with its own NollyCat Designs jewellery alongside work by other makers. Its range includes handmade jewellery and locally made iron ornaments.
Combine a visit with a look around nearby Plymouth Market, whose directory includes craft, jewellery and gift traders.
Greenspace, Mutley Plain
Greenspace combines an art and craft shop with a community purpose. It supports local makers and artists, with a percentage of sales helping fund the hub’s community work.
For a present with a local connection, take time to browse what its makers have brought in.
Make Fabric Boutique, The Little Box
Tavistock Place, opposite The Box’s main entrance
Buying for someone who likes making their own things? Fabric, sewing supplies or a creative workshop could be just the gift.
Make Fabric Boutique is now based in The Little Box on Tavistock Place, following its move from Royal William Yard earlier in 2026. Browse its fabrics and current workshop programme for inspiration.
The Box shop, Tavistock Place
Alongside its seasonal makers market, The Box has a shop selling products by local makers and gifts inspired by its collections and exhibitions. Look for art related gifts, stationery, jewellery and homewares, with prints also available through its online services.
Make a day of it
Choose one area and give yourself time to browse. Southside Street has several of these shops within a short walk of one another. The Box and Make Fabric Boutique can be combined in a single visit, while Hyde Park and Mutley offer another route through the city’s creative independents.
You don’t need to know a lot about art to start a conversation. Tell a maker or gallery what the person you’re buying for enjoys and what you’d like to spend. Ask about smaller pieces, prints and framing, and check Christmas collection or delivery dates before ordering.
The best present might be something you hadn’t thought to look for.
Details checked on 9 November 2026. Check the linked organiser or business pages before travelling, as opening hours, traders and event arrangements can change. This is a researched selection, not an exhaustive directory of every trader or community fair.
