September 16, 2024 – New York, NY & Milwaukee, WI
Project for Public Spaces announced today that Milwaukee, WI, USA has been selected as the host city for the 12th International Public Markets Conference, taking place June 12-14, 2025. Milwaukee Public Market, USA Today’s #1 Best Public Market in 2024, will be co-host. As the largest global conference for public market professionals, it will bring together over 400 public market leaders from all over the world, including a broad mix of market operators and managers, local food and placemaking advocates, civil society groups, policymakers, consultants, academic researchers, and more, to delve into the forefront of market practices and recognize the transformative influence of public markets in shaping vibrant and inclusive urban spaces.
“As we count down to our 50th anniversary next year, Project for Public Spaces is excited to join forces with Milwaukee Public Market to bring the 12th International Public Markets Conference to Milwaukee!” said Kelly Verel, Project for Public Spaces’ Co-Executive Director. “Milwaukee’s dynamic public markets scene is outstanding and offers a rich variety of markets that will provide our international audience with exceptional learning opportunities. Our conference attendees are always eager to dive into what our host cities have to offer, and I’m sure they will return home from Milwaukee with a wealth of new skills, knowledge, and connections, ready to bring best practices back to their local markets.”
Milwaukee, the Culinary Capital of the Midwest, boasts over 30 vibrant public markets, each reflecting the city’s rich heritage and community spirit. Most recently held in world-renowned cities including Toronto, Barcelona, and London, the conference in June will mark the first time it has been held in the United States since 2012. Hosting this conference will position Milwaukee, and the surrounding region, at the forefront of public market innovation and best practices.
"This is a landmark achievement for the Public Market, and we are thrilled to co-host this conference with such a respected organization like Project for Public Spaces," said Paul Schwartz, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Public Market and Business Improvement District #2. "As we celebrate the Milwaukee Public Market’s 20th anniversary next year, this conference offers a unique opportunity to highlight the success of our market alongside the many vibrant markets across our city and state. We are committed to showcasing the very best of Milwaukee and Wisconsin to a global audience."
Over three days, attendees will engage in an opening plenary, interactive panels and discussions, networking and social events, guided tours, and offsite workshops that showcase Milwaukee’s diverse markets, highlighting innovative practices and exemplary models in action. The conference will highlight the city’s wide array of public markets, including Milwaukee Public Market, West Allis Farmers Market, Fondy Farmers Market, Milwaukee Night Market, and Zocalo Food Truck Park. It will also introduce two exciting new additions to Wisconsin’s public market scene: the Green Bay Public Market and the Madison Public Market, both slated to open in spring 2025. The event will also explore many other public spaces that have flourished thanks to placemaking led by neighborhood associations, business improvement districts, city agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn how Milwaukee’s inclusive placemaking practices have created vibrant, community-oriented spaces that uplift and fortify diverse neighborhoods.
“Wisconsin is excited to welcome public market leaders, private developers, placemaking advocates, and innovators from around the world to experience all our state has to offer, including our innovative urban development, diverse agriculture, and rich cultural heritage,” said Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. “Milwaukee and communities across Wisconsin are home to diverse markets, highlighting everything from fresh produce grown by local farmers to an assortment of award-winning cheeses to artisan goods crafted by local makers, and this conference offers a unique opportunity to showcase Milwaukee and our state.”
“We are delighted to have the International Public Markets Conference come to the great city of Milwaukee,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “We look forward to welcoming an international crowd and showcasing our outstanding placemaking initiatives, including our city's public markets, which have been key to driving our city's economic and community growth, making Milwaukee a flourishing place to live, work, and play.”
The conference’s theme, Public Markets for Every City, serves as a powerful call to action for market leaders, placemakers, and policymakers worldwide to recognize the transformative influence of public markets in shaping vibrant and inclusive urban spaces. The conference theme aligns with the mission of Project for Public Spaces’ Market Cities Program, which aims to apply a systems thinking approach to creating public market strategies in communities, big and small. The Program’s philosophy is that when an area’s entire ecosystem of public market managers, vendors, food producers, and food systems advocates are connected they are better able to understand local challenges and opportunities, and identify more effective strategies to strengthen all local public markets as crucial sources of food and goods, economic opportunity, and cultural exchange.
When cities of all sizes are facing the challenge of fostering equitable economic growth, inclusivity, and community cohesion, public markets emerge as a compelling solution for spurring inclusive economic development, bolstering social connection and wellbeing, and implementing climate action. Through collaboration and shared learning, the 12th International Public Markets Conference will provide the opportunity to collectively envision a future where public markets thrive in every city, ensuring their benefits are accessible to all, regardless of city size or population.
Project for Public Spaces and Milwaukee Public Market welcome all public market professionals to stay tuned for more details on the upcoming Call for Proposals opening October 9, 2024, registration in the new year, schedule lineup, and tips on how to prepare for a three-day adventure exploring the best of public markets in Milwaukee! The best way to keep informed is to visit the conference website, publicmarkets.pps.org, and sign up for Project for Public Spaces’ market-focused newsletter, the Biweekly Bazaar.
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Organized by Project for Public Spaces, the biennial International Public Markets Conference is the largest global conference for public market professionals. For over 35 years, it has brought together an international group of over 400 visionary market managers, community advocates, and civic leaders to explore the changing forces that are shaping public markets today. It has also been a catalyst for significant market initiatives, including the launch of PPS’s Market Cities Program at the 2019 conference in London, and the creation of the Market Cities Network at the 2023 Toronto conference. Through these initiatives, the conference both highlights the critical role of public markets and drives the field forward. Learn more at publicmarkets.pps.org.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, Project for Public Spaces has spent the past five decades bringing some of the most successful public places in the world to life. Today, we remain committed to putting community participation at the center of everything we do, from placemaking partnerships with corporations and foundations to our workshops, trainings, conferences, and more. Our interdisciplinary team has helped over 3,500 communities in 52 countries create inclusive places that change our society for the better. Together, we can build a world where every public space is community-powered. Learn more at PPS.org.
As Milwaukee’s iconic food and event destination, the Milwaukee Public Market has been a vibrant community hub for locals and a must-visit experience for out-of-town guests for nearly two decades. Home to 19 independently owned vendors, the Market offers a diverse array of culinary options ranging from Wisconsin staples to a rich selection of ethnic cuisines and specialty grocery items. Serving as a cornerstone of the community, the Market not only hosts weekly cooking classes, free public events, and private gatherings within its walls but also extends its reach through outdoor activations and programming that enrich the Historic Third Ward neighborhood. Learn more at milwaukeepublicmarket.org.
Anne Tan-Detchkov
Director of Communications & Marketing
Project for Public Spaces
atan@pps.org
(212) 620-5660
Paige Hammond
Marketing & Communications Manager
Milwaukee Public Market
paige@milwaukeepublicmarket.org
(414) 336-1111
