Dublin Maker to turn old library van into mobile makerspace

14 May 2019

The entrance to Dublin Maker 2018. Image: Dublin Maker

Led by Vicky Twomey-Lee, ‘Made’ will be a two-year Dublin Maker programme that aims to bring together fragmented regional maker groups.

Ahead of the annual Dublin Maker event in Merrion Square on 20 July, its organisers have announced the launch of a new programme.

Called ‘Made’ and funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), with hosting from Dublin City University, the initiative will span the next two years with the aim of bringing together all of the various regional maker groups.

This will be done through a series of initiatives coordinated by Dublin Maker’s latest recruit and maker advocate, Vicky Twomey-Lee. Having co-founded Coding Grace, which provides female-friendly workshops and events, as well as founding PyLadies Dublin, Twomey-Lee is responsible for many meet-ups centred on coding.

The events she is expected to coordinate include festivals, a public maker space roll-out and mobile makerspaces, with corporate engagement, training and dissemination. Dublin Maker hopes the programme will better embed maker culture thinking at all levels in Irish society and make it available to all, starting with the Dublin region.

Among the activities is a partnership with Dublin City Public Libraries to roll out public maker facilities in libraries, including converting a library van into a mobile makerspace. This will help bring maker events to key target groups including people with disabilities, older people and minority communities, the organisation said.

Speaking of her new role, Twomey-Lee said: “I’m excited to be part of the Dublin Maker team and the Made initiative. I’m looking forward to connecting the community and bringing maker culture to all areas of society.”

The timely announcement comes as Dublin Maker’s open call for projects is set to close tomorrow (15 May). Among the types of projects the event is looking for are puppets, robotics, unusual tools and sustainable tech.

“Each year, we welcome educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, artists, science clubs, students, authors and commercial exhibitors of all ages and backgrounds,” the organisers said. “Dublin Maker’s mission is to entertain, inform and connect the makers of Ireland, while inspiring the next generation of Ireland’s makers and inventors, and we want you to be part of it.”

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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