Our Approach

Soulcraft Makerspace is about re-discovering the dynamic value of working with one’s hands and the creative community which naturally arises when a group of people engage in such a discovery. The inherent value that comes from working with ones hands, of creating something, affects one's psychic development far beyond the learning of a skill.  It changes one's perspective on how they relate to the world around them. While we offer myriad tools, classes and workshops to learn all manner of skills, we believe learning is more about a posture toward one's life than acquiring skills.  Soulcraft seeks to foster that engagement.

Our Work

The three pillars of Soulcraft's mission are craftsmanship, creativity and community.  To that end, we work 1) to empower students and entrepreneurs through job training and incubation, 2) with schools and other institutions of learning to foster design-thinking and problem-solving to enable life-long learning; and 3) in and with the community to ensure that our efforts have a distributed impact throughout the region and not simply on the self-selecting few.

Education

The intersection of education and "making" has received a lot of attention in the past few years.  Internationally, we have seen the rise of the "maker movement" entering entering the school-house doors.  The emphasis, for the most part, has been on "STEM"-type engagement and learning (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).  Others have lamented a lack of training in the skilled trades, with the loss of shop class and the push toward college readiness, which isn't always successful for every student.

At Soulcraft, we believe in both and certainly have programs (and collaborations with local schools/organizations) in both STEM and skills training.  We consider this "job training" objective to be a secondary outcome, however.  Our emphasis is on interactive problem-solving and design-thinking.  The process of working with own's own hands to create a self-authored design is a training in a life-long valuable skill, whether you end up in a board room or on a shop floor.  Thus, from teaching 3D printing, to welding, to furniture making, or objective is to cultivate a way of thinking.  The career advancing skills will be learned, but as an outgrowth of the deeper learning.

Studios, Entrepreneurship and Incubation

Many of our community members are ready to take their learning adventure to the next level.  Some may already have their own design company or art studio part time or working on an island somewhere in the city.  At Soulcraft, we know the leaps and bounds a creative and passionate artisan can make with an expanded toolbox and a robust community of experienced teachers and other creatives.  Sometimes, its not enough just to be good at what you do in order to create a successful practice.  We provide the tools, the know-how, the space and the community to empower artisans and tinkers to go to the next level.  We are proud of our members who started with us with some other day job and a lot of skill and passion, and then moved out with their own full-time company, equipment and a new chapter.

If you are a designer, artist or craftsman, we offer studio space and shop access at a variety of levels.