Public Space Animation + Creative Programming & Pop-ups
Retail Activation | Artist Support | Downtown Revitalization | Community Engagement
WORK.SHOP
Artist Pop-up Store
Overview
In early 2024, an unexpected opportunity emerged: Square Peg, the City of Kitchener’s retail incubator in Downtown Kitchener became available —last minute — for short-term use. Recognizing the potential to activate the space and pilot a new retail concept, my team and I launched Work.Shop — a month-long pop-up store supporting over 75 local artists, designers, and makers.
The goal was to test the feasibility of a year-round artist-run retail model, particularly outside the holiday season. By launching in April — traditionally a slower retail period — we collected real data on foot traffic, community interest, operational costs, and sales potential. The project also addressed broader goals around culture and tourism strategy, downtown revitalization, and community resilience in a difficult economic moment.
My Role
Concept & Strategy: Scoped the pop-up model to align with community needs and artist goals, with a focus on accessibility, aesthetics, and ease of participation. Integrated placemaking goals around cultural visibility and economic development.
Rapid Execution: Coordinated store logistics, artist intake, merchandising, and operations within 2.5 weeks of notice of availability of the space. Collaborated with the City of Kitchener, responding to an urgent opportunity to fill the space.
Marketing & Outreach: Led communications efforts, using organic social reach, influencer partnerships, and collaborative posts with participating artists to amplify reach. Strategy aligned with culture and tourism goals.
Vendor Management: Onboarded and supported over 75 creatives, offering equitable terms, clear onboarding, and hands-on support — a key part of implementation support and public space activation.
Community Engagement & Promotion
Marketing efforts relied on high-trust local networks and authentic storytelling through collaborative Instagram posts with vendors to reach new audiences:
Reels: @thelocaladvocate & @dtkitchener
Feed posts: @curatedkw & @hercozycrew
Reach & Response:
Generated over 121,000 views across reels and posts — with 63% of reach from non-followers, reflecting strong organic discovery
High engagement resulted in strong foot traffic throughout the month, with the first week seeing peak attendance aligned with social media momentum
Demonstrated the power of community-rooted digital promotion without paid advertising
Impact
Work.Shop welcomed thousands of visitors over four weeks and generated meaningful income for independent creatives. The activation demonstrated:
Proof of concept for a sustainable, artist-led general store model
Strength of community-led marketing without paid ads
Deep interest in year-round local retail experiences beyond holiday markets
Value of creative programming and pop-ups as economic and cultural infrastructure
Key Outcome: Validated a scalable, non-seasonal retail model for artists that can support downtown revitalization and cultural entrepreneurship. Demonstrated implementation capacity and successful culture and tourism strategy in action.
Photo by Beth Bowles Photography for Work.Shop KW
