As Market Hall celebrates its fifth birthday, we're reflecting on the people, partnerships and ideas that have helped shape it into the creative and collaborative space it is today.
For Francesca Hawkesworth, Head of Creative Infrastructure, the journey from those final weeks before opening to the thriving creative hub we see today has been defined by one thing above all else: collaboration.
Reflecting on Five Years
"It’s hard to believe Market Hall is already five years old. It still feels close to those final weeks before opening, in the middle of lockdowns and uncertainty, trying to bring everything together while the world kept shifting around us."
"I remember juggling furniture deliveries, speaking with suppliers and adapting plans, never quite knowing if everything would arrive in time. But what stands out most isn’t the challenge, it’s how people came together to make it happen."
"Working with partners like Hemingway Design, The Albion Workshop, Nook House Plants and local fit-out teams, it was never just about delivering a building. It was about shaping a space rooted in Devonport from the beginning."
"Five years on, that same collaborative spirit still defines what Market Hall is becoming."
Market Hall has become far more than a venue: a place where ideas are developed, tested and shared through immersive experiences, exhibitions, talks, workshops and community gatherings.
The space enables creative technology and digital innovation, opening up space for creatives, educators, students, researchers and audiences to explore new skills, ask questions and experience work in public-facing ways.
Alongside this, our sister site Devonport Guildhall (just 3 minutes down the road!), continues to develop as a centre for print and making, supporting hands-on, traditional practice while creating room for experimentation, skills development and new approaches. This happens through access to studios and specialist workspaces.
Together, Market Hall and Devonport Guildhall balance analogue and digital, making and innovation giving people space to learn, produce, collaborate and connect.
Building a More Connected Future
The next step is thinking less about each building in isolation and more about how the wider area can support people to learn, develop ideas, test work, build confidence and share creative practice as part of Devonport Creative Quarter.
Partnerships with the University of Plymouth and Arts University Plymouth are central to this, connecting students, researchers and creative practitioners with live briefs, placemaking projects and real-world opportunities.
The shared vision is for Devonport Creative Quarter to become a more connected place, where education, enterprise, public programme and community overlap.
That public programme is vital: it makes the spaces visible, welcoming and useful, opening opportunities for people to encounter new ideas, take part, learn skills and see themselves in Devonport’s creative future.
Looking Ahead
As Market Hall enters its next chapter, the ambition remains clear: to create opportunities for creativity, innovation and collaboration to flourish.
As we look ahead, Devonport Creative Quarter gives that ambition a clear direction: not just a collection of venues, but a connected set of spaces where creativity is nurtured, shared and made accessible.
If the last five years have shown us anything, it’s that when the right people, spaces and ideas come together, they create momentum, strengthening community and carrying creative development forward as Devonport Creative Quarter continues to grow.
The Next Five Years
From the uncertainty of opening during a pandemic to becoming a thriving home for immersive experiences, creative technology, learning and community, Market Hall's story has always been about people coming together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
As we celebrate five years, we're proud of everything that's been achieved so far—and excited about what comes next for Market Hall, Devonport Guildhall and the growing Devonport Creative Quarter!
