photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Monique Mercurio stands in front of their new Lawrence art space, The People's Market, 846 Illinois St. Mercurio helped organize art spaces like the Inclusive Winter Market, and they want this new space to be a "community hub."

Monique Mercurio has a knack for creating things, whether it is Indigenous jewelry or communities.

When Mercurio, who uses they/them pronouns, first moved with their wife to Lawrence in 2020, they were able to “pick up momentum” with their art business by selling at local shows. But Mercurio said they realized they did not see as many people of color or queer people in the crowds and wanted to do something about it.

Mercurio launched the Inclusive Winter Market that featured over 100 local artists in winter 2023, and its success helped make the market an annual event. But Mercurio wanted to keep that momentum going and help grassroots artists throughout the year.

Their community work led to the recent opening of The People’s Market, a brick-and-mortar space for creatives and entrepreneurs to sell their art year-round. The market at 846 Illinois St. recently had its grand opening on July 1. Although it is certainly a shop space, Mercurio thinks it adds more than that for Lawrence.

“This is not just an artisan space; this is a community hub,” Mercurio said.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Hand tie-dyed clothes are displayed at The People’s Market, 846 Illinois St., a new artisan space that aims to lift Lawrence artisans and become a community hub.

Although it is still in its beginning stage — when the Journal-World spoke with Mercurio, they received the store’s first bills from the mail carrier — the space already has around a dozen places for people to showcase their artwork. The market contains many types of pieces, from crocheted curios to hand-tie-dyed clothing, but it also has tables and chairs set out for the community as well as coffee and pastry vendors that open for weekend mornings.

“It’s a great way to center our local businesses here,” Mercurio said.

Mercurio said this kind of space seemed like an “inevitable” outgrowth for the artistic community she has built. Mercurio, a member of the Ohlone Costanon Esselen Nation, said her tribe had a reputation for being great basket weavers. As Mercurio began organizing different events like the inclusive markets and became a part of new initiatives, Mercurio said they had a focus on “crosspollinating” different parts of the community that might be side-by-side but not always interacting. That skill was key for creating the People’s Market.

“I learned how to weave community,” Mercurio said.

A big part of that was their experience in creating jewelry. Mercurio said that technique and skill was passed down by the matriarchs in their family, and it was at first a “skill to survive.” Mercurio said they were like a “grassroots entrepreneur” from selling their work, and the first inclusive winter market was filled with people like them — self-made artists who did not carry the artistic credentials or resume that would allow them access to certain art events.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Custom stickers are displayed at The People’s Market, 846 Illinois St., a new artisan space that aims to lift Lawrence artisans and become a community hub.

Mercurio said the first inclusive market was an emotional event, with many artists selling out of their work for the first time. They found other ways to lift up other artists who might not have had the same access, leading a “Black and Brown Market” that was meant to help artists of color and working with The Granada to place vendors at the music venue during the official World Cup watch parties. Events like those gave new vendors “front-row seats to get their names out and be successful,” Mercurio said.

While Mercurio is excited about the new People’s Market space, they still plan to host other pop-up markets, including the first Inclusive Summer Market on Saturday, July 11, at Johnny’s Tavern North, 401 N. Second St., from 4 to 9 p.m. Although it will be a bit smaller than the winter markets, Mercurio said 30 vendors have already signed up.

With the recent opening of the brick-and-mortar store and a new pop-up market, Mercurio has been busy in the last month, but they have a big vision for the space. Mercurio hopes to host community workshops and “paint and sip” events, create a space for food trucks and even host tailgates. They said they also want to partner with organizations like Haskell Indian Nations University for informational events.

Mercurio sees countless opportunities for the new space to continue their work in weaving new communities together, and they are excited with the potential of the space.

“I hope it will be the heartbeat for our local inclusive community,” Mercurio said.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

The People’s Market, 846 Illinois St., is a new artisan space that recently opened in Lawrence. Its owner wants the space to serve as a true “community hub.”