LaunchSpace

LaunchSpace, a not-for-profit community workshop located in Orange, MA. This community workshop makerspace provides a variety of workshops, power and hand tools, and plenty of bench space for those interested in building projects and creating small businesses. LaunchSpace has created a three-tiered approach to community engagement, workforce development and education, and business creation. Taken together, the three-tiered structure forms a replicable approach to economic revitalization within semi-rural, post-industrial communities, which tend the highest rates of unemployment, poverty and limited access to economic opportunity. Our first tier is that we provide a set of shops where members can express themselves and get to know one another through a variety of making arts including artistic and industrial skills such as arts and pottery, IT and robotics, glassblowing and forging, wood and metal working. The second tier is as a classroom and training facility, providing certificate courses in valuable employment skills in collaboration with the local community colleges and UMass, as well as interesting skills classes to members and guests. The third tier is business creation and incubation into an innovation economy, toward which we provide access to equipment and space, as well as business consulting, financial education, marketing, and other forms of support organized from the broader community. Opening in Fall 2017, LaunchSpace will also offer a class schedule of topics ranging from pottery, textile arts, woodworking, metalworking, forging, glass-blowing, robotics, IT, and life skills. The makerspace will provide a vibrant and supportive environment where both beginning and professional “makers” can come together to work on creative projects in any number of forms and materials.