In the literature, temporary and spatially limited events – like trade fairs or fashion shows – are described as temporary or cyclical clusters, where actors exchange knowledge and learn from their competitors and customers following a fixed global agenda. However, drawing on two case studies in the art and fashion world, this presentation will argue that in fact, these markets resemble permanent rather than temporary structures. Over rounds and rounds of yearly circuits, these markets became more exclusive in terms of participants and locations, leading to a consolidation of these markets. In this presentation, we challenge the myth of an “era of democratization” where anybody can enter the markets and worlds in question. Instead, we observe a consolidation in these markets through processes of direct (selection) and indirect (money) exclusion. This presentation considers the impact of consolidation and exclusion in temporary events on service providers and innovative potential in the creative economy.