Factory 3

 

I'm excited to share that Factory 3 has been awarded a grant from the Maine Coworking Development Fund!

Since day one, our space has been shaped by the needs of our community—and this grant will help us take another big step forward.

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Everybody wants access to something.

I’ve found that many of us at Factory 3 became members looking for access . We joined looking for affordable access to high quality and well maintained shops and tools. Many of us were even looking for access to something as simple as “a space larger than [our] one bedroom apartments” or “warmer than our garage”. More space for our craft – and particularly, more affordable space considering the rising rent costs in Portland. For many members, we’ve…

 

One of our members, Daniel Freedman, is teaching a new class called Making Bad Art. I’ll risk ruining his joke and say it now: there’s actually no bad art in Daniel's class—or anywhere at Factory 3 for that matter.

Making Bad Art explores the purpose of art and goes against many conventional beliefs. I love the concept because it meshes perfectly with what I want Factory 3 to be: a welcoming community space where it’s safe to explore, express yourself, and maybe, just maybe, break…

 

Our first DIY Synth Charity Build Day, followed by the Modular Synth Charity Auction, held on January 7 & 14 at Factory 3 and hosted by the Synth Club of Southern Maine, were a fantastic success.

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New machines constantly replace old ones. Car makers have been introducing a new model each year for more than a hundred years. The big box stores’ gleaming displays of new products for the season tease us into buying one instead of keeping our old friend running for another year.

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Keeping a makerspace clean and organized can be a huge challenge. Simply asking members to clean up and put tools away (or posting a sign directing them to do so) is not helpful. After a long day working in the shop it can feel like there’s no energy left for cleanup. But does it have to be this way?

We believe if we’ve done our job right, cleaning up can actually feel energizing. The mind craves order, so putting a tool away in its proper home can feel satisfying — but only if we’ve set…

 

Growing up, I had many creative and productive influences. My mother is an artist and my father is a mechanical engineer. My grandmother ran a business and some of my fondest memories as a child are visiting her office and learning from her. Business runs back several generations on both branches of my family tree.

This led me to a business degree from Northeastern University and, upon graduating, a full-time job in technology sales. It was a lucrative job that rewarded me with a…

 

Many of our members graduated from art schools across the country, and we talked with five of them to learn about their experiences and growth at Factory 3.

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