Startups

University City makerspace Department of Making + Doing to close in November

More than two years after it opened, the workshop's partners say it is “no longer sustainable” to stay open in the 3711 Market Street location.

The Department of Making + Doing, a youth-oriented makerspace in University City, will close in November, the organization announced late yesterday.
“While our efforts have been incredibly productive and fruitful, we believe that it is no longer sustainable to continue at the current location,” the email read.
The space opened nearly two-and-a-half years ago in NextFab’s former space on Market Street, with more than $360,000 in backing from the Knight Foundation, the Barra Foundation, Cognizant and ArtPlace America. The space, which became a meeting place for artists and youth, was behind fantastical projects like a mobile maker cart built by teens, an enormous spirograph and the weirdest karaoke machine ever.
Last winter, the group held its first holiday exhibit and sale, featuring items built by DMD members, many of which are young people.
https://instagram.com/p/wtwTZjCQQo/
The workshop’s partners — The Hacktory, NextFab, Public Workshop and the University City Science Center’s STEM program — will all continue offering programming, just no longer at 3711 Market Street. The Hacktory plans to find a new location in West Philly, director Georgia Guthrie said in the email announcement. It’s not clear what will become of the equipment in the space.
“The DM+D Partnership built a space where all of the partners could explore and grow their organizations, their impact and their capacity,” said program manager Michael Darfler in a statement. “In that regard it was wildly successful.”

Companies: Department of Making + Doing / NextFab / Public Workshop / The Hacktory / University City Science Center
Engagement

Join our growing Slack community

Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!

Donate to the Journalism Fund

Your support powers our independent journalism. Unlike most business-media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational contributions.

Trending

What internet speed do you really need?

How DC protesters are protecting themselves online while calling out the Trump administration

Developing tech for government agencies? Participant advisory councils can help get it right.

A car accident changed this engineer’s career trajectory — and mission 

Technically Media