The Teenage Market, an event created by two Stockport brothers to showcase some of Manchester’s most creative young talent, was given the go-ahead yesterday to be rolled out nationwide.
Joe, 20 and Tom Barratt, 18, based the concept of ‘by young people for young people’ to give teenagers the opportunity to showcase their talents through artistic performances or selling their goods on market stalls provided free of charge.
Due to the overwhelming interest from across the country, the brothers are in the process of creating an online portal with the help of Mike Little, the co-founder of WordPress.
This portal will allow would-be hosts to advertise their own teenage markets on social media and attract interested market traders.
Joe said: “We are really excited about the opportunity other towns now have to embrace the model implemented in Stockport that has helped the town and youth grow.
“We will be actively involved in these new national teenage markets to ensure that everything is up and running very smoothly and they’re not on their own.
“We will also be providing advice and tips from our own experiences as part of the toolkits on offer.”
The toolkits contain further tips and advice on how to promote these events with the eye-catching Teenage Market branding.
The first teenage market was held on April 1 2012 in the renovated Indoor Victorian Market Hall, and was supported by Stockport Market Manager Paul Downs.
Joe is also behind the Screen Stockport film festival which started in 2011 and for the last two years has showcased short films and animation from around the world.
Asked about his own future plans he said: “All our current efforts are behind Teenage Market going nationwide and Screen Stockport which is happening in October.
“However, I would love to see all market towns in the Greater Manchester area and nationwide have their own teenage market to build a network.
“This would give teenagers the platform to build from that didn’t previously exist.” 
TALENT: The brothers with Stockport Market Manager Paul Downs
On top of all this Joe was part of the successful Portas Pilots campaign, run by Mary Portas, for Stockport which has helped to establish an arts centre in the town called 7 Miles Out.
“We have called it this as Stockport is seven miles out from Manchester and also there was a really cool shop with the same name in the town during the 1960s.
“We hope to be holding a couple of teenage markets there as well as film screenings, exhibitions and creative workshops too.”
The Teenage Market pop-up will take place on Sunday September 1 as part of the Merseyway Summer Festival, where there will be 12 traders.
If you would like to apply to be a market trader for the next Teenage Market in Stockport on Sunday October 27 click here to download an application form.
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