9th International Public Markets Conference - Will Fulford

WILL FULFORD

More than a Market: How Public Markets can be

Community Destinations that Serve Civic, Social and

Physical Needs

Co-Founder Urban Market Company

Public Markets – Connecting PeopleNew research into how public markets

build strong communities

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My research question….Do markets connect people? And if so, how?

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Research method…• Read ‘public space’ literature• Build a conceptual framework to study markets• 1500 intercept surveys – market visitors• In-depth interviews – market traders

– Using a 2-way radio mic

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What did I find?Functional encounters

key to how markets connect people

Functional encounters occur between people who do not already know each other,

but who share a special ‘function’ of some kind in space.

What are functional encounters?

Union Square, non-market day Union Square, market day

Functional encounters reduce fear of strangers approaching each other

Facilitating ‘first contact’ between people who otherwise might not meet

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1.

“Trade is a thing that forces you to know your fellow people, and that’s

why it’s sometimes beautiful, as otherwise people wouldn’t interact

with me in another way…”(Asim, market trader, WM)

Functional encounters build trust between different communitiesFirst-hand experience replaces third-hand

preconceptions

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2.

“You know, at the start we don't know one another, but with the time,

everyone is the same [but] whenever there is difference you get ignorance,

so when you have knowledge of something you understand things and

you [realise] we are the same…”(Javed, market trader, EM)

Functional encounters are adaptablePunjabi spoken with a Trinidadian accent

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3.

“…and of course all the Asian people loved it! Now all the English traders

call out in Punjabi, you know, which is a sales thing, it’s not done for the benefit of visiting sociologists, it

works with the customers” (Pauline, Market Customer, EM)

Functional encounters are easy to learn

Greetings, numbers & quantities

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4.

Benny calls out to a Portuguese lady passing the stall "where is amigo today?" and she replies

"working"...he then breaks into Spanish with a lady customer "that's trés por favour, graçious"

and introduces his son to the lady who he explains is with his Dad on the stall because the teachers are on strike…Benny then moves onto what sounds like Arabic and then follows up in

English "hello sister how are you?“ before moving onto French "how are you doing?

Comme ci comme ça!" as he motions his hand from side-to-side.

Functional encounters create economic opportunity

Finding economic value in diversity

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5.

“…when you’re serving so many different nationalities, you’ve got such an edge because, you know, what one won’t try the other one will, so in the end, you can’t lose…in the end, the more variety you’ve got, the more

pulling power you’ve got. (Neil, Market Trader, EM)

Functional encounters help us practice being social

Finding practical value in diversity

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6.

“yeah, you know, it kind of like makes you fit wherever you go, you don't find

it so difficult…” (Emmanuel, Market Trader, EM)

Functional encounters generate interest in diversity

We start to learn about each other’s cultures

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7.

“…a customer said give me one and I’ll cook it for ya. So I give her a couple

and she said I’ll bring it down, because I’ve never had it before. And now I say

to the wife, listen don’t forget my butternut squash on my roast dinner,

and she says, oh you’re driving me mad with that butternut squash! After all

these years I’d never bothered with it”(Neil, Market Trader, EM)

Functional encounters balance competition and cooperation

We are stronger together

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8.

“What would we do without our neighbours?”

(??, Market Trader, WM)

Functional encounters lead to other types of social interaction

We can celebrate our differences

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9.

“…I just heard about Diwali but I don't know who they celebrate, how they pray. But now I know very well. We

celebrate each other, we greeting each other, we give the cards each other, you know. This is the experience.

When we Muslim people celebrate Ede, the other religions give us

greetings and cards and we celebrate each other together.”(Iqbal, Market Trader, EM)

Functional encounters connect people through process not policy

We all have to shop…

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10.

“I’m glad and privileged to work with all the different races of

people. I’ve got on with every one of them, and I’m glad that I’ve

been enlightened and met them.” (Neil, Market Trader, EM)

Q5. Is the market a place where you mix positively with people from different

backgrounds?

East Market

West Market

Q5. Is the market a place where you mix positively with people from different

backgrounds?

“…I’ve learnt such a lot from this market, I truly mean it. I’ve learnt not to be prejudiced, which is the greatest

thing I’ve learnt…” (Neil, Market Trader, EM)

Thank you!Will Fulford

[email protected]@WillFulford

+44 7941 047 877