The Make Space Offers Creative Community

Story posted December 10, 2019 in CommRadio, News by Sam Marks

STATE COLLEGE, Pa - Engineers, designers and creative people all came together at The Make Space.

The Make Space is a community workshop located at 141 S Fraser St. in downtown State College. Creative people with common interests gather to socialize, collaborate on projects, and learn various skills from other members.

People who cannot or do not want to own a workshop have the opportunity to use The Make Space and watch their ideas come to life right in front of them. The Make Space president, Joshua Wilkins, says that the workshop gives people opportunities that they otherwise would not have had.

“We’re a makerspace that is here for the community to come in that may need to use a tool or need to create or make something and they can’t do it [themselves],” Wilkins said. “You know, they don’t have a garage or they don’t have a place of their own, they come here and use a power saw or stuff like that.”

Matt Novak has been a member of The Make Space for over a year and a half and says he prefers the communal workshop compared to a traditional style. The tight knit community and equipment available, keeps Novak coming back.

“I kind of like the community aspect of it. There’s a lot of different minds that all come together,” Novak said. “I’m very focused on electronics hardware, there’s some people that are more software driven. I don’t really do woodworking but I could learn woodworking because of the community.”

In order to fund the cost of their tools and projects, members of The Make Space are required to pay a monthly due. Membership includes 24/7 access, a personal storage bin, membership meetings, and the ability to vote in membership decisions.

The Make Space invites anyone interested in learning more about the workshop to attend one of their weekly open house events, every Wednesday from 6-8 p.m.

 

 

Sam Marks is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email sdm5544@psu.edu.