All Things Urban

It is an exciting time for markets in London — with nearly 300 street, covered, and indoor markets spread throughout the city, and more popping up all the time! But the excitement doesn’t end there: Conference co-host Mayor of London Sadiq Kahn recently launched a groundbreaking city-wide strategy‍ to ensure that markets continue to bring diverse social, cultural, and economic benefits to all Londoners. To build on this momentum, the 10th International Public Markets Conference will focus on how markets can enhance their ability to support local people, drive prosperity, and improve the local communities in which they are based. Over three days, conference hosts Project for Public Spaces and the Mayor of London, along with the world’s leading public market operators, developers, and thought-leaders will focus on inclusion, innovation, and the social and economic impacts of public markets. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to experience first-hand the character and striking diversity of London’s market scene! London is rich with multicultural history and home to some of the best public markets in the world—from culinary havens like Borough Market to eclectic neighborhood staples like Whitechapel Market. As vibrant and diverse as the people who live there, public markets are an essential part of London’s international identity, and a daily fixture in the lives of locals. The conference will highlight London’s retail and wholesale markets which include over 47,000 micro-scale and small to medium businesses all together. These markets directly employ 105,000 people, and the diversity of goods available in the markets and the traders who sell them represent the City’s openness to the world. The Conference’s working sessions will take place at City Hall, located on the south bank of the Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge and within walking distance of London’s iconic Borough Market and the historic Southwark Cathedral. The conference will provide ample opportunity for networking at interactive workshop sessions, special evening events and receptions, and during the day-long market tours. For a more detailed example of what our program might entail, please refer to the conference report from the 9th International Public Markets Conference in Barcelona. Participants will have multiple opportunities to visit and explore London’s extensive network of nearly 300 public markets.

The conference will bring together over 300 public market leaders, advocates, and representatives from throughout the world. A broad mix of government leaders, market managers, downtown planners, grassroots organizers, local food advocates, transportation experts, health care professionals, and educators from around the world will add to the diverse conference conversation.

Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build strong communities. We are the central hub of the global placemaking movement, connecting people to ideas, resources, expertise, and partners who see place as the key to addressing our greatest challenges.