Free Maker Space for kids at ArtStarts

Make It Happen

Help us create the only free, public, makerspace designed just for young people. Maker Space at ArtStarts will help young people develop a sense of agency about their ability to participate as inventors, innovators, and agents of change to solve practical problems in a rapidly changing world.

We're raising $10,000 towards this transformation

Help Us Make it Happen

maker space for kids, free family events

About ArtStarts

Since 1996, ArtStarts has invested in expanding the role of art in education so that young people develop the skills they need to thrive in learning and in life. When kids learn in and through the arts, they develop critical thinking and problem solving skills while also building empathy and the ability to collaborate. We believe that everyone is creative and we are committed to supporting all children to realize their full creative potential.

What is the ArtStarts Gallery?

The ArtStarts Gallery is the only public gallery in Canada dedicated to fostering young people's creativity. Since the gallery opened in 2006, our exhibitions have celebrated the exciting possibilities that emerge when young people engage in hands-on, arts based learning.

What is the Maker Movement?

The Maker movement is built on the idea that everyone is creative and that we need space and time to explore, create and collaborate so that we can turn ideas into reality. The rise of DIY (do-it-yourself) culture has made makerspaces a hot trend in education right now as they enable student-centred, hands on learning experiences that are far more impactful than rote learning. Maker education is a way to reach all learners.

Why are we creating this exhibition?

To establish the importance of prototyping, dreaming, planning and trial and error before a finished product (and why it’s sometimes even more fulfilling).
To create a space for children and their families to build, create and explore together.
To celebrate the growing recognition that Art is as valuable as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (from STEM to STEAM).

Why your contribution matters:

Your gift will enable us to create the only free, public, makerspace designed just for young people. The exhibition will provide children and their families with access to tools and materials so that they can experiment and create together and turn ideas into reality.

$10/month

helps buy construction materials to install the Maker Space exhibition

$25/month

helps pay for the materials and supplies for kids to prototype, play and create with

$75/month

contributes towards engaging emerging artists to activate the exhibition

Count Me In

Increased likelihood of students being recognized for academic achievement

22%

Scientists who received the Nobel Prize were also involved in performing & visual arts

5 million

Amount of STEAM-related jobs that could go unfilled due to skill gaps by 2020

85%

Future jobs that today’s K-12 students will be engaged in will have not been invented yet

"Fostering the maker mindset through education is a fundamentally human project -- to support the growth and development of another person not just physically, but mentally and emotionally" Dale Dougherty, the creator of Maker Faire
"One of the things that we've discovered is that maker education with kids gets them engaged, gets them passionate about the work, gives them opportunities to pursue things that they're interested in. As a result, it really raises the level of work that kids are doing, and it starts to make sense. School makes sense." Superintendent Pam Moran
"The kind of gift we can give to kids when we offer them access to makers spaces is that of taking initiative, of being self reliant, and really rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty." Vipul Redey
"The ability to design and make, acquire skills as needed, and apply technologies is important in the world today and a key aspect of educating citizens for the future." ADST curriculum