A new space in North Park is seeking to provide a way for makers and artists to build upon their skills and participate in the BC’s creative economy.
MakeSpace for Art Society is the non-profit umbrella organization that has two unique spaces where people can work and learn, with a third opening soon.
The first to open was North Perk, a cafe located at 2150 Quadra Street. This coffee shop offers creatives a space to work and also has a small retail section where local makers’ wares are displayed for sale.
The second space to open was FabLab, which opened in January and is tucked just around the corner from North Perk. FabLab is a shared studio equipped with digital and physical tools that allow people to design and produce custom objects.
MakeSpace has spent thousands of dollars in order to acquire equipment and software that would allow members to try their hand at laser cutting, 3D printing, vinyl cutting, digital design software and other small-scale prototyping tools.
This allows artists and makers to produce products they can market and sell. Though it is not big enough for mass manufacturing, FabLab creates space for learning, testing, refinement and creation.
The last space to open will be WoodShop, which is located just next to the cafe and will allow people access to a fully-functioning shop with every tool they could need to create whatever they want to.
The WoodShop woodworking studio is equipped for both learning and small-batch production and includes a table saw, a bandsaw, a jointer and planer, a drill press, workbenches, hand tools and a dust collection system.
The whole goal and ethos of MakeSpace is to provide affordable access to tools and workspace, low-barrier entry for beginners, programming that supports early-stage creative entrepreneurship and a welcoming environment for youth, women, 2SLGBTQI+ people.
How MakeSpace came to be
All three of these spaces exist because of the passion and drive of MakeSpace’s executive director, Jenny Farkas.
“MakeSpace is the result of about a decade of working in—and closely studying—the creative sector on Vancouver Island,” Farkas told Victoria Buzz.
“During that time, I helped raise funding, supported artists and organizations, and worked across different parts of the ecosystem. What became clear is that the issue isn’t a lack of talent—it’s a lack of infrastructure.”
Farkas saw a gap in infrastructure for those who are not well resourced—artists who don’t have access to the space or the tools they need to create.
She had an “aha” moment and determined that without shared infrastructure, many would be left out of participating in the creative economy.
Furthermore, Farkas noticed that oftentimes creative/artistic funding goes to programming such as events, exhibitions and short-term projects while the underlying systems that allow people to build skills, access tools and generate income over time are left wanting.
“MakeSpace comes out of that realization,” Farkas explained.
“It’s a working prototype for what happens when you invest in shared, neighbourhood-scale infrastructure designed to open up participation and support real economic activity.”
The space that Farkas found and took over was actually five different units initially, but she had a vision for a convenient and accessible space that could support more than one function, so she combined the spaces to make up the cafe, FabLab and WoodShop.
“The North Park location was especially important,” said Farkas.
“It’s a neighbourhood with a lot of creative energy, but also real economic barriers and very little accessible infrastructure.”
MakeSpace’s funding is intentionally structured as a hybrid model. There is the non-profit society side of the operation which is focused on public access, programming and community impact, as well as a small business component that operates the cafe and contributes to overall sustainability.
The Society makes money through memberships, workshops and café sales, alongside grant funding and partnerships.
Farkas herself has also contributed hundreds of thousands of her own money to acquire the equipment needed and build out the three spaces.
“The long-term goal is to reduce reliance on short-term grants by building a system where earned revenue and public benefit reinforce each other,” said Farkas.
“That’s part of treating this as infrastructure rather than a series of projects.”
The future of MakeSpace and Victoria arts infrastructure
Because of the massive amount of money MakeSpace has cost to get off the ground, Farkas is hoping she can build a relationship with someone who has more money than they know what to do with, and she has set her sights on a billionaire.
“The scale of investment needed to build creative infrastructure is actually quite modest when you compare it to how wealth accumulates at the highest levels,” she explained.
“What might take our sector years to raise, could be donated — and then recouped in interest by a billionaire in a matter of days.”
She pointed specifically to BC-based billionaire Jim Pattison.
“His wealth has been built through sectors that rely heavily on infrastructure—distribution networks, retail systems, logistics,” said Farkas.
“Those industries understand that long-term success comes from investing in the systems that make activity possible. The creative economy is no different. It just hasn’t been treated that way yet.”
Farkas noted that if even a small fraction of a billionaire’s wealth were directed toward shared creative infrastructure it could unlock opportunity for thousands of people over many decades.
While Farkas says that she isn’t going to hold her breath and “find a billionaire,” she mostly wants to acknowledge that the capital to invest in arts and the creative economy exists in our communities, and could make a real tangible difference.
How to join MakeSpace
Anyone can sign up for a MakeSpace membership and have access to all their many amenities!
Find out more about what can be learned and how to participate online, here.
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