Make-It Springfield allows visitors to indulge in a variety of subjects like arts and crafts, bicycle repair, make-up techniques, healthy eating habits and computer help.
Make-It Springfield was only supposed to be a temporary summer pop-up shop.
In July, MassDevelopment and the University of Massachusetts Extension announced the community “makerspace” would stay open for the “foreseeable future,” a decision that has generated positive reactions.
“People responded so strongly – from the people who wanted to host workshops to people who were just showing up, even without advertising,” said Laura Masulis, the MassDevelopment Transformative Development Fellow. “We couldn’t just close it.”
Without initial efforts to advertise, Make-It Springfield was able to reach a wide audience and grab local creatives to take workshops or lead them.
“When I moved here last year, I decided to Google search ‘downtown organizations related to art’… I was just looking for things to do in the city,” Springfield resident Vicki Mann said. “One day in June, I got an email about the space opening, so I made my way down here in the middle of July and I’ve been here ever since.”
Now Mann teaches the “Recycled Art with Kids” workshop on Saturdays, while still making an effort to frequently participate in other workshops.
When community members step inside the space at 168 Worthington Street, they are greeted by bookshelves, walls covered in paintings, and typically, some smiling faces.
“We were walking around downtown and we saw some artwork through the window, so I thought ‘maybe I could try it out too,'” Springfield resident Luis Rodriguez said.
“One day I met Matt (Livermore, a science teacher at the Springfield High School of Science and Technology, who instructs Make-It Springfield’s ‘BYOB Art Club’) and then we started coming every week.”
With 25 different workshops, Make-It Springfield allows visitors to indulge in a variety of subjects like arts and crafts, bicycle repair, make-up techniques, healthy eating habits and computer help.
Since its opening day in June, Make-It Springfield has become more than just an open space for people to be creative. Make-It Springfield has provided a sense of community togetherness on a street that is typically known for its restaurants and nightlife.
By taking their values of “skill sharing,” “creating connections and community” and “revitalization” seriously, visitors who come in to take a workshop end up sharing conversations and learning more about who and what this city has to offer.
For a full list of workshops and more information about Make-It Springfield, visit their website or Facebook page.