Market Collective facing new challenges

By Sean Willett

Market Collective, a Calgarian independent market that showcases local artists and musicians, has had two of its three December dates cancelled by the Calgary Parking Authority. 


This decision came after the CPA received complaints from the Kensington Business Revitalization Zone, which claimed that Market Collective uses up too many parking spaces in the area. They have also said that Market Collective takes away business from Kensington stores, although they don’t have any statistics to prove this.


The market has been renting Kensington’s Ant Hill building from the CPA since June 2009. It shares the space with the Good Life Community Bicycle Shop, and is usually only active for one weekend every month.


For December, Market Collective made a special arrangement with Good Life — the market would give up its September and November weekends, and would instead have three weekends in December. 


The CPA’s rejection of this plan came as a surprise to the organizers of Market Collective, since it was previously communicated to them that the weekends would be available as long as Good Life consented to the arrangement. Additionally, the three December dates were advertised on the website of the Kensington BRZ, the organization responsible for having the dates cancelled.


“We are a professional and hard-working organization, and we would not even consider booking 200 artists unless we were advised clearly that we could operate for the three dates,” said the MC team in a response on Facebook. 


In response to the decision, Market Collective has asked supporters to send emails to the CPA, the Kensington BRZ and the mayor’s office. MC has began to look for a new venue.