Kristina Smith is a Northfleet-based creative practitioner and jeweller, running her own business, Ark Jewellery. Alongside her personal practice, Kristina had a strong ambition to expand Ark Heritage into a sustainable and growing platform for pop-up artist markets that celebrate creativity from within Northfleet and the surrounding area. 

Kristina approached the Northfleet Place Partnership with a clear vision: to create inclusive, well-curated pop-up markets that would champion local makers, provide professional opportunities for artists, and bring creative activity into prominent public spaces. With support from the Enterprise Award, she was able to take meaningful steps towards turning this ambition into a viable and scalable business. 

As part of her grant award, Kristina received one-to-one mentoring from Sinéad Koehler, Director and Founder of the Crafty Fox Market, a nationally recognised leader in contemporary craft fairs and creative marketplaces. This mentoring gave Kristina invaluable insight into the practical and strategic aspects of running successful pop-up markets, including curation, artist support, pricing, audience development, and working with commercial venues. 

The mentoring enabled Kristina to learn directly from an industry expert and gain confidence in applying best practice to her own work. Since completing the mentoring, she has successfully put her learning into action by delivering pop-up markets at Bluewater Shopping Centre, a significant milestone that demonstrates both professional growth and increased ambition for Ark Heritage. 

Through the Enterprise Award, Kristina has strengthened her skills as a creative producer, expanded her professional network, and laid strong foundations for Ark Heritage as a platform that supports artists while bringing high-quality creative experiences to new audiences. Her work continues to contribute to Northfleet’s creative ecosystem, showcasing local talent and creating opportunities for artists to grow alongside her business.