Laura Mate
A Fair Trade (2025)
In A Fair Trade Laura Mate captures the vibrant spirit of Bradford’s markets. Selling everything from cotton reels to deli meats, these markets are bustling hubs of activity. For centuries, markets have acted as the heart of community life, serving as a gathering place for people to meet, shop, and connect. In Bradford, this culture is still thriving, with market halls and stalls that remain as active and welcoming as ever.
From Kirkgate to Keighley, the photographs capture market sellers and shoppers alike, exploring the personalities behind each stall and the people who bring these spaces to life. Mate visited Kirkgate Market, Oastler Market, Saltaire and Ilkley Farmers Markets, Canon Mills Market, and St James Wholesale Market. She shines a light on Bradford’s markets as meeting points and social hubs, with living connections to the district’s history. Celebrating both the diverse goods on offer and the relationships built over the counter, A Fair Trade reveals how these places continue to nurture community and bring the city’s people together.