Thursday, August 18, 2011

Of Mice and Makerspaces. . . Originally published August 8th, 2011

The time has come to answer a few questions. I've been dropping hints as to my plans for a little while, now here is a better look at the concept. . .

The question I've gotten from quite a few is, "what is a makerspace?". The short answer is that a Makerspace is a place where people with common interests can meet and collaborate on ideas and projects. The long answer goes much deeper. A makerspace not only offers workspace and resources, but also learning opportunities, as it is built on the idea of peer knowledge and sharing.

The makerspace I intend to build will be based completely on this collaborative principal. Aside from housing my own creative aims, I intend to begin by offering lab space for writers and designers, supporting the endeavor by offering classes from Tai Chi to basic mechanics tutoring. Eventually, I intend to grow the space to house areas for people to work on their projects and to provide a general tool lending library, if you will, for same. Although the classes would be made available to everyone, the latter services would be provided to members for a monthly due. A physical store would be attached to the face of the makerspace, providing a place for artisans to sell their goods on consignment, further supporting the entire endeavor.

Currently, we are still in the conceptual stages. I am building up the finances on my own and will be, over the next few weeks, seeking consulting assistance from local support groups in the community. When I get closer to finding a facility, I may even begin looking for outside investors, if necessary.

More to follow! ^.^