Markets are one of the oldest forms of commerce and trade and they are enduring.
Canberra is full of local markets, though this is only fairly recent with the Capital Region Farmer’s Market arriving on the scene in 2004 and the Handmade Markets following soon after in 2008. These followed the original and gigantic Old Bus Depot Markets by over a decade! By my estimation these are the three largest markets on Canberra’s calendar and arrived well before some of the many others followed including the Southside Farmers Market in 2013, The Forage in 2014, the Night Noodle Market came to Canberra in 2015 (interestingly brought to us, and Australia, by the Fairfax group, and notably part of the Enlighten Festival) and the most recent arrival, the Haig Park Village Markets.
Through the year all sorts of other markets crop up on the calendar including many Christmas Markets of either Scandinavian or the Eco variety, the Alliance Francaise Markets and even a new Christmas in July Market coming in 2022 with a French twist.
I am a traditionalist and while I’ve poked my head in at many of the above my favourite is the weekly Farmer’s Market. I love it for its lack of pretension, its utter practicality, its simplicity and its simple service – with an aim to get produce directly from the producer to the consumer. It meets a need with no fluff, of which I am always wary and slightly cynical.
Markets generally tick lots of great boxes including: incubating small business, supporting resilient food networks, reducing income disparity, building community, promoting health and active living, providing opportunities for creativity and collaboration and generally increasing the vibrancy and choice available in a town or city.
My fascination is with what it is exactly that piques people’s interest and what draws them to something like a market. Is it the promise of discovering the unexpected? Exploring new territory – even though temporary? Gathering together like the tribal animals we seem to be? Having our senses overwhelmed or gently coaxed? Or is it that we’re subconsciously aware of the inherent good of a market (see above)? Nutting these things out can show us how to run great markets in the future.
Market Cities recognises the value of markets, including these indirect benefits and their website houses a trove of articles, research reports and publications on the value of markets around the world, including as social hubs or ‘third places’ where people can almost rely on bumping into eachother, a form of social engagement that is not really recognised but seems to be deeply comforting. It is, perhaps, our ingrained tribalism.
Independent sellers protect their markets with a fierce passion – fierce because that is what it takes to protect their industry and creativity from becoming strangled by the overwhelming financial and legal obligations that come with more institutionalisation. A market provides a point-of-sale that is affordable and easily accessed by both customer and retailer and this must be protected from commercialism at all costs.
I’ve now had the privilege of being part of starting a new market in Canberra. One thing that it is important to recognise and encourage is: Allow time for it to grow. It is ok to start small. Something has to come first. Either the retailers take a risk or the customers take a risk. It can be hard to match each one up at the same time. Keep communicating with customer and your sellers, admit that it’s not going to be perfect at first. You have to build capacity – that is better than putting on a show.
From little things good things will grow.
Tulitha King 