Saturday MRKT invites creatives, makers to vibe in a space with vintage grocery store feel
November 14, 2019 | Anna Turnbull
A crossroads for creative collisions is planned this weekend amid a celebration of street/pop culture, said Justin Ikerionwu.
What is Saturday MRKT?
Saturday MRKT is a concept that combines the world of creative experiences and creative knowledge to allow entrepreneurs, creatives, and young professionals to thrive in community. With the need to celebrate the vast and diverse culture, that is “street/pop culture,” Saturday MRKT is a pop-up exhibition and festival that brings the culture of By Design to the forefront.
“[We want to] bring together the different members of the creative and entrepreneur community and through … conversations and overall just a great vibe, they can interact and form future collaborations,” said Ikerionwu, organizer of the Nov. 16 Saturday MRKT at Union in the Crossroads Arts District.
It’s a cant-miss gather that blends artistic knowledge and entertainment, he added.
Click here for tickets to the 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Nov. 16 event.
“You can enjoy yourself, you can meet other creative people and you can see some interesting installations,” said Ikerionwu, who also is co-founder and editor-in-chief of By Design, a print and digital publication that focuses on enriching the lifestyles of creatives.
Saturday MRKT itself is an artistic presentation of sorts, he added.
“As soon as you walk in you will see a space set up to look like a vintage grocery store,” Ikerionwu said. “We always want Saturday MRKT to feel like it’s a place where you can get what you need [similar to a market] and take away something that will benefit you in the long run.”
A unique feature: “The Deli” where live interviews will take place with six creators that are in different fields and industries, he noted.
“We want guests to feel like they can not only learn through the experiences, get questions answered, but also interact with potential clients, customers or stakeholders to help their business move forward,” Ikerionwu said. “I think that as you walk in the inspiration of all the people and the creative energy of the people in attendance … It will touch you. I’m really excited to see the reaction of the attendants.”
Click here to learn more about By Design magazine.
This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.
For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn

2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Una Mas Empanadas folds authentic Argentinian flavors into new restaurant spot at Parlor
Expanding Silvia Herrera’s business from a food truck in Gardner to one of Kansas City’s most active and eclectic food hubs brings the Buenos Aires-born entrepreneur — and her grandmother’s 50-year-old handcrafted empanada recipe — to an even wider, more diverse audience, she said. “Our empanadas are more than just food,” Herrera said. “They represent…
It’s not too late to preserve KC’s Black-owned restaurants (or to enjoy Black Feast Week)
The recent closures of Soiree, The Krave, and Privee — Black-owned restaurants that each became a staple of Kansas City’s evolving food scene — leave a clear void that can’t be ignored, said Ryan Sorrell. An initiative to help save local culinary should-be hotspots in similar danger wraps this week, but the work to promote and…
Ancestry.com founder-turned-AI evangelist says rapidly advancing tech can uplift humanity, families
People across the globe are caught in an internet malaise, said Paul Allen, and tech visionaries’ response should be to renew humans’ dependence on faith and family and friendship and local community. One of their most critical tools, he said: decidedly non-human solutions from the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. Allen — founder of…
KC filmmaker sees pleasure as a prequel to dystopia hiding ‘In Plain Sight’; His brave new wake-up call
Thomas Rex’s new proof-of-concept film project envisions a near-future world where society is on the verge of totalitarian control, he said, describing a cautionary tale about being unknowingly controlled by a culture of escapism through pleasure and pharmaceuticals. “In Plain Sight” serves as a prelude to Aldous Huxley’s novel “Brave New World,” an acclaimed but…
