Market Collective’s sixteenth annual pop-up market will feature the Quiet Cube art installation
By Kimberly Taylor, June 4 2024—
Market Collective’s sixteenth pop-up artisan market will be at Contemporary Calgary from June 7-9 and June 14-16 and will feature an art installation, Quiet Cube, created by artist Bramble Lee Pryde. Tickets are $7 at the door with hours running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. 4 p.m. on Sundays.
In an interview with the Gauntlet, Stephanie Hanna, the owner and director of Market Collective, shared that the market is a low barrier event for the local Calgary community to access and engage with creative entrepreneurs, build connections and an opportunity for local artists to share their work.
“It’s about facilitating an opportunity for artists, designers, and artisans, to showcase and sell their work, to connect with their clients, and make connections within the entrepreneurial community here in YYC, but also it is to offer an inclusive, intergeneration, low-barrier space [for Calgarians] to connect via arts and culture.”
According to Hanna, Market Collective also plays a role in connecting local artists to the local economy.
“We in live an increasingly difficult economic world where a mom-and-pop shop is no longer the norm. We live in a world of big box stores. As we are seeing right now in this economy many restaurants, many small businesses, independent businesses, creative businesses are closing their doors.”
Market Collective seeks to fill that gap in facilitating an opportunity for artists, designers, and creative entrepreneurs to find a space to be able to build their brand, connect with fellow creatives, and get their own work out to the public,” Hanna continued.
Hanna highlighted that participating in the journey of participating artists has been a rewarding aspect of Market Collective for her.
“It’s been really fantastic to see the number of local creative businesses whether they be artists, designers, culinary artists, folks creating food and beverage, musicians, it’s been beautiful to see their journey from beginning at Market Collective to now having tons of wholesalers, winning awards for what they are creating. That for me has been a really lovely piece.”
This year the market will also feature an art installation by artist Bramble Lee Pryde, in an interview with the Gauntlet she spoke about the Quiet Cube.
“It will be in the centre area of the market, and it will be a space for whoever to come in and regulate or chill because the market space can be a bit hectic for people,” Pryde said. “But also taking into consideration neurodivergence, you want to provide options for people to be able to regulate and chill out so they can join the crowd again. It will be music based and a soft space.”
Pryde explained that started out with the market doing booths and tables with her jewelry and ceramics, but this year she applied to do an installation, and that the Market Collective supported her growth as an artist.
“I find that Market Collective allows you to grow within your practice and what you’re doing. Overall it’s been really positive to be able to pitch different ideas and them work those ideas into future markets.”
According to Pryde the connections she has made with those attending the market have been beneficial to her as an artist.
“When you have those face-to-face moments with other artists and the community and people who attend you get to have this immediate awareness of how people perceive your work which is super important when we tend to live on social media and online to have those real interactions and have people encourage you. It really makes for a great sense of community.”
To engage with the Quiet Cube art installation bring headphones. More information about the Market Collective can be found on their website.