TLP Mobile Makerspace

 

The TLP Mobile Makerspace converts into a pop-up workshop or store upon arrival.

TLP Mobile Makerspace Proposal

Project Description

Mobile Makerspace will provide art instruction to youth in rural locations as well as a traveling exhibit/sales unit.

Proposal Summary

The TLP Mobile Makerspace Project will provide an opportunity for youth in rural areas to receive art instruction and learn new skills, including marketing their own creations.

Pre-COVID, The Landing Place operated a low-barrier after school drop-in center for at-risk youth located in downtown Rockland, serving three school districts, RSU 13, 40 and Five Towns CSD. Afternoon enrichment included art instruction with teaching artist Kim Bernard. Many of our highly creative youth would seek out ways to express themselves above and beyond the prepared art lesson, so we began to create a space in a corner of the drop-in center where materials were available on a regular basis for them to explore and create their own designs and projects. This became our Makerspace, where students began to create portfolios of work both at the center and sometimes at home. They used their work to decorate the center, and eventually offered their work for sale at a pop-art Holiday Art Show in 2019. This was a huge success, as they proudly displayed their creations, talked to the customers, sold their work, and were able to keep 100% of the proceeds knowing that they had created something with a monetary value.

With our center closed during COVID, we have continued to provide opportunities for creative expression through our virtual MakersSpace weekly Zoom call. Materials are dropped off directly to youth, who are then supported through the call with our art instructor, teaching artist Kim Bernard. With the mobile art cart, we will be able to offer more in-person art instruction, with greater access to tools and materials based on inspiration in the moment.

Many of the youth we serve live in rural locations, and have limited transportation. This project will provide greater access to youth in rural areas by bringing art lessons to pods of youth in their communities (Cushing, St. George, So. Thomaston, Owls Head). This would allow us to provide safe programming and also be more flexible in when and how we provide support to youth both during the pandemic and after we are able to reopen our center.

Our youth would be directly involved in designing and building this vehicle, which would give them ownership of the project as well as teach new skills of design and basic carpentry. The flexibility of a mobile art cart could also be used to enable our youth to market their art at various locations such as farmers’ markets, parks and other destinations.

Project Goals & Anticipated Outcomes

Our goal is to build an attractive, eye-catching Mobile Makerspace that...

• can easily be transported via the TLP van to any location
• functions as a fold out workshop space 
• carries tools, equipment and supplies for creative projects
• allows TLP to offer creative and practical hands-on programming
• provides opportunities for youth to safely gather, socialize and create outdoors
• will additional serve as a portable 'free' store delivering supplies (clothing, hygiene products, groceries) to the rural high risk youth we already serve and allow us to expand our reach even further into more outlying areas 

The TLP mobile will allow TLP to...

• go directly to youth, instead of youth having to come to us
• meet with groups outdoors to connect, mentor and check-in with youth
• provide free extracurricular, creative, hands-on activities for youth
• provide a venue for youth to socialize in an enjoyable and constructive setting
• make it fun for youth to shop the 'free' store 

We will track participation numbers, including the numbers of youth served, locations, and projects created.