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The Challenge

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How might we restore vibrancy in cities and regions facing economic decline?

Inspiration 894 inspirations

Concepting 329 concepts

Applause 329 final concepts

Refinement 20 final concepts

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Mission #1

Explore Vibrancy

Share your definition of what vibrancy looks like where you live. Find out more...

Mission #2

Share Stories

Tell us about the cities and communities you know are currently struggling or in the process of revitalising.

Mission #3

Get Active

Take some time to get active and explore your own community – then report back what you learned. Find out more...

Mission #4

Collect Insights

Interview someone living in a struggling city or region to learn more. Find out more...

Mission #5

Surprise Us

Got an Inspiration that doesn't fit the other Missions? Find out more...

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Mission #3 Get Active Find out more...

Independently hosted social incubators: i.e Nite Market

Rather then going to a bar last night, my friends and I participated in the Nite Market in Chicago. An independently run underground food market. Full of over 20 vendors selling drinks, chili, pastries and preservatives. $2 entry and fun for good.

Nite Market is an event held in Chicago. Around twenty vendors are selected to come showcase the tasty treats they make. Vendors are not necessarily businesses, In my experience I met lots of people who just like to cook on the side and wanted to share that food with the neighborhood. Dishes range from cupcakes, pies, pizza rolls, home made pretzels, doughnuts, ciders and infused cocktails.

It is free for the vendors to be a part of the event, and they can charge whatever they would like for the goods they have made. They also retain all of their profits. Entry to the event to the general public is $2 dollars and a waiver is required for each participant to sign saying that they won't sue in case of sickness that could be caused by the food. half of the profits are donated to The Micro Grant, which funds Chicagoland community oriented projects (up to $1500 each) in the areas of art, sustainability, and overall world betterment.

The event was held in a private space and was promoted through facebook and the groups website http://nitemarket.jimdo.com/

While there it seemed about 150 people participated. There was an accordion player keeping the mood light, while people danced and talked with one another. It felt good to be a part of a group of people committed to spreading joy with one another.

My favorite dishes were a maple almond cupcake, a homemade doughnut and the whiskey apple cider with an orange. mmmmmm

This type of event made me proud to be in Chicago, and had me thinking of how to perfect my chili recipe for the next event. These types of things add character to a city and are a cheap/ more exciting alternative to just going out to dinner with friends.

Mission #3 Get Active Find out more...

Comments

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Bram Geenen

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January 10, 2012, 08:23PM

Nice inspiration, I ran into such an event in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, at a saturday night at 23.00. It was great, with good food and nice people!

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Adriana Valdez Young

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November 19, 2011, 01:14PM

This reminds me of FEAST (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics) in Brooklyn:
http://feastinbklyn.org/

The organization hosts a big public dinner and performance usually in a park/church or other big civic space. Artists apply to set up installations to pitch their ideas for projects they seek funding for and that will have a positive social impact. People chip in $20 to feast and also get to vote for their favorite art project. The winner takes home all the cash earnings to suppor their project. It's a model for community-supported arts, rather than relying on foundations or other large institutions that have longer application processes and that fund better known artists or bigger scale projects.

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Jean-Luc Alfonsi

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November 15, 2011, 01:08PM

Very inspiring Alex.
I will keep in mind some interesting details like the paper you sign getting in (nowadays we have so many rules that it kills any initiative and this in a good way to shortcut the rules).
Your comment about spreading joy, makes me realise that energy and happiness are contagious and before economy this is one of the major ingredient of the magic potion for vibrant places.

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Paul Reader

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November 15, 2011, 03:54AM

Great fundraising/incubator concept.
At first I thought it might be like our Taste of Tasmania here in Hobart which is held over 10 days at the end of the Sydney - Hobart yacht race. For a few years the local childrens choir attended by my kids raised funds by providing cleaning services on an almost 24 hour basis. After the choir a number of other non-profits took on the cleaning but the balance of profits went back to the local council.
What was really good about the event was that it utilised a dockside shipping wharehouse that was basically unused since downturn in sea-transport. Now the building has been given a makeover as an exhibition/festival space and other nearby buildings have been turned into shops, restaurants, office space and residential. The history of the nearby Salamanca Market is similar with boutique shops and eating places trading all week.
Hobart's 250,000 population swells to maybe 400,000 over the summer largely as a result of local innovations like these.

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Alex Todaro's reply to Bram Geenen's comment

Alex Todaro

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November 15, 2011, 05:44AM

That's really incredible that the use of the warehous as a festival space helped evolve the community to including shops and boutiques. I'm not entirely positive on this, but I believe that for the Nite Market spaces are provided by volunteers. There's definitely something to be said for creating regular community events in desolate spaces, we see this same theme in growing arts districts. Thanks for the insight Paul it goes to showhat these types of endeavors can be scaled on a micro and macro level.

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Paul Reader's reply to Bram Geenen's comment

Paul Reader

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November 15, 2011, 06:54AM

Yes, my younger son spent some of his time working with a local contemporary opera company while doing his composition degree. The opera company is well known for doing performance in industrial spaces Sadly the choir, once world-renowned, is in decline but many of these things are cyclical. It gained a reputation for performing early morning welcomes for visiting cruise ships and several times performed in limestone caves about 30 miles out of town. Both the choir and the local symphony orchestra performed underground in a working mine on Tasmania's west coast. There is so much talent and innovation to tap into just about everywhere. Relating this has given me an idea for a concept for this challenge. Thanks for the great initial inspiration.

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Paul Reader's reply to Bram Geenen's comment

Paul Reader

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November 15, 2011, 07:15AM

The festival had a shaky start but is now in its 23rd year.
Patrons pay for food and drink but general entry is free except on New Year's Eve when limited seating is sold. Tunover exceeds 500,000 people but of course that includes many repeat visits.

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Alex Todaro's reply to Bram Geenen's comment

Alex Todaro

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November 15, 2011, 08:30AM

I'm glad I could help! Brings me much joy to know my inspiration worked. Also I would like to point out that it seems that a large part of the success of this event had to do with specific charms. The performance in the early morning is something that is special and unique, giving a place pride. I visited Southampton, Ontario this summer and every night at sunset they had a father son bagpipe duo on the beach. It's things like this that you most remember about visiting places and it's what keeps a them beautiful and motivated. Excited to see your concept!

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