Frequently Asked Questions
What is Talent Maker City?
The future belongs to those who can imagine it. Talent Maker City (TMC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Talent, serving Southern Oregon as a regional hub for creative and economic innovation. TMC operates a bustling makerspace brimming with creative energy in Talent’s downtown district that offers the space, tools, and resources to better equip our community with the skills to participate in a rapidly changing global economy.
We serve the community, local makers, students and businesses by offering fun and interesting skills-based workshops and classes in our downtown makerspace (304 E. Main Street) and in various locations around the Rogue Valley.
Does the City of Talent own or operate Talent Maker City?
No. Talent Maker City (TMC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016. The organization is governed and operated independent of the City of Talent, though we do share many of the same goals of a more connected, more prosperous community through creative economic innovation.
What is a makerspace?
Already popular in many larger cities throughout the country, makerspaces are do-it-yourself places where people can gather to create, learn, and share ideas. The makerspace membership model is similar to that of a fitness gym. Instead of treadmills and weights, a makerspace offers access to a wide array of tools, technology, and space in which to create meaningful art and develop do-it-yourself skills. Instead of personal trainers and yoga classes, makerspaces offer training and support for any number of creative and technical endeavors, from throwing a clay pot, to experienced guidance in prototyping an invention, to developing a sound business plan, to marketing and selling that invention.
A makerspace is a diverse education and economic development facility that:
Provides access to a wide variety of tools and equipment (from traditional tools like lathes and kilns, to emerging technologies like 3-D printers) for building, creating and prototyping;
Provides collaborative space for individuals and teams to create and share projects;
Offers a social place for people with different skills and common interests to share ideas;
Provides local education and career pathways through economic and workforce development in the form of hands-on workshops, from welding and woodworking to programming and small scale manufacturing; and
Provides an open environment for intergenerational and cross-cultural learning, innovation and creative expression.
How can I get involved?
There are lots of ways to get involved! Donate! Sign up for a workshop! Volunteer! Spread the word! As a 501(c)3 non-profit, we rely on the support of our community to succeed. We are grateful for your involvement whether it’s money, time or sharing what we’re doing. You + Make + Talent!
What kinds of tools does the makerspace have?
TMC’s 3,700 sq ft makerspace is brimming with tools and equipment in the following shops, including:
Woodshop:
Industrial 52” SawStop,
Floor standing drill press
14” band saw
Compound miter saw station
12” disc sander
Spindle sander
Combo sander
6” jointer
15” spiral cutter head planer
Router table
Full size and midi lathes
8’ x 4’ CNC
Shapeoko XL CNC
Work benches, compressed air, drills and drivers
And more!
Ceramics:
1 Kiln
3 Potters wheels
Wedging table, slab table, and other work surfaces
Wall-mounted clay extruder
Assorted tile tools
Fiber Arts:
4 Singer heavy duty sewing machines
Brother serger
Sewing and cutting tables
Vinyl heat presses
4 color/1 station screen printing press
Flash dryer for screen printing
30” IR conveyor dryer
Screen printing darkroom and washout station
Assorted other fiber arts tools
Digital Fabrication:
Full Spectrum 20” x 12” 45W laser engraver/cutter
Glowforge laser engraver/cutter
Cameo 12” vinyl cutter
Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printers
More on the way!
What is a “Maker City” and how did Talent become one?
October 2015: With a grant from the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) the City of Talent’s Community Development Department brought Illana Preuss from Recast City to Talent to evaluate the City’s economic potential. Pruess gave nationwide examples of maker microbusinesses attracting increased regional interest by repositioning real estate in response to changing market demand. Most of the core group now involved with TMC attended this presentation and began to imagine using public-private partnerships to revitalize Talent. (Pruess’ similar presentation in Grants Pass can be found here.)
March 2016: Against long odds, Etsy.com (the global online retailer of handcrafted goods) selected a group from Talent, along with 12 other North American cities from among 126 applicant cities to participate in its inaugural MakerCities Summit. The Talent City Council voted to pay travel expenses to send a planning commissioner and the Mayor to attend the Summit in Brooklyn, New York, to learn how to promote the City’s economic development.
May 2016: During the intensive two-day MakerCities Summit, Etsy guided workshops and brought in a diverse lineup of speakers to espouse the idea that there’s untapped opportunity for local municipalities to engage and support their local makers to ultimately change the way we all create, buy, and sell goods.
By far the smallest city selected to participate in the MakerCities Summit, the Talent contingent returned home on a mission to adapt what we learned in Brooklyn to fit the needs of own community and rebrand Talent as a regional hub for creative, technical, and cultural innovation.
August 2016: The City of Talent approved its 20-year Comprehensive Plan supporting development of a maker ecosystem to support economic growth and educational and cultural opportunities by supporting development of a makerspace and business incubator in Talent to help local artisans and small-scale manufacturers grow. (Objective 4.3 and 4.3a: Economy Element, City of Talent Comprehensive Plan.)
December 2016: Talent Maker City was formed in response to the needs and objectives expressed in the Comprehensive Plan. The original group formally adopted Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and policies, installed its Board of Directors and was recognized by the IRS as an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Where is Talent’s makerspace?
TMC leases a 3700 sq ft commercial space in downtown Talent (next door to the Grotto, across from the Pump House). We recently received a federal grant to purchase property in downtown Talent and to design and build a community informed, permanent makerspace. We look forward to this big and exciting project over the next few years and to finally having a “forever” home for community creativity and connection.
What are TMC’s Services?
Our concept of community service is built on the makerspace platform driving creative expression, grassroots economic sustainability, and career readiness. TMC currently offers the following services:
Adult Workshops: TMC provides adult workshops throughout the year to provide a creative, collaborative and educational experience for those looking to learn. In these fun workshops, all training and materials are provided for low cost in a safe and educational environment.
Hands-on, Skills-based Education: We deliver hands-on programs, in collaboration with local school districts, to offer early exposure to STEAM-based skills that promote vocational training and help build a more qualified local workforce.
Economic development: TMC serves as a launchpad for new and established maker microbusinesses, from starting up to scaling local operations.
Tours: Want to check out the space and find out how you can get involved? Come by for “Toursday,” Tuesday at 2pm. Or, give us a call at 541.897.4477 or shoot us an email at makeit@talentmakercity.org to schedule another time to come by for a tour.
What is STEAM?
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. You've probably heard it referred to as STEM is the context of education and industry. We like to include Art to better represent our integrated approach to cross-discipline exposure and collaboration.
What’s with the paper airplane?
Our logo features a paper airplane soaring through the sky because it invokes the joy and satisfaction of what is for many of us our first maker project!
What is creative placemaking?
“Creative placemaking seeks to help communities develop a stronger sense of identity, building on native cultural assets to create more cohesive, healthy, and resilient places. The deliberate integration of arts and culture into community development work brings arts organizations and artists to the table, helping to design land-use, transportation, economic development, education, housing, infrastructure, and public safety strategies.” Read more at Arts.gov.