My love/hate for markets

I first started doing markets 17 years ago, above are photos of that market and the jewelry I started making to sell way back then, I’ve actually made jewelry since childhood, it was exciting to sell what I made. Before being a vendor I frequented local markets in Windsor Ontario. I bought ALL of my families produce at the market because the prices were so much less than the grocery stores, it made feeding our family good food so much more affordable.

I was a vendor in my current location for several years until I started seeing a shift. The markets became less and less about local produce and art and became more and more about luxury items for the wealthy. When I saw this shift I stopped attending them.

Markets played two roles when they first began, they gave opportunity to vendors who may not be able to afford to put their items in stores, it gave opportunity for those with less to be able to buy food direct from local food producers at a lower cost. When luxury becomes the focus those with less, those with disabilities always get pushed out, it was hard to see people get pushed out of one of the few places meant to help those on a budget. I started to really dislike what I was seeing at markets. Vendors who were independently wealthy serving the wealthy, less and less poor, minority or disabled people vending and attending. The cost for vending became unreasonable $150-$200 per venue.

We are living in a time where food is becoming a luxury and it’s really disheartening.

Markets aren’t meant to be luxury events, they were meant to help LOCAL people thrive.

I was never a food vendor, I sell art amd jewelry, and I believe these things should also be accessible, art has become snobby and overpriced. I’d rather have my art in the hands of someone who loves it then in the hands of someone fancy. We need to get back to making sure those with less have space and are cared for.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/60855c_0102a9914c5b4012b558f59986986a1f/file