Artisans Asylum is a
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
community workshop in
Allston, Massachusetts
Allston is an officially recognized neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was named after the American painter and poet Washington Allston. It comprises the land covered by the zip code 02134. For the most part, Allston is ...
. Artisans Asylum was founded in 2010 by an
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...
, an artist, and friends. Artisans was the first
makerspace
A hackerspace (also referred to as a hacklab, hackspace, or makerspace) is a community-operated, often "not for profit" (501(c)(3) in the United States), workspace where people with common interests, such as computers, machining, technology, sci ...
to
incorporate
Incorporation may refer to:
* Incorporation (business), the creation of a business or corporation
* Incorporation of a place, the creation of municipal corporation such as a city or county
* Incorporation (academic), awarding a degree based on the ...
in the U.S. in 2012. Today, it holds 52,000 square feet of fabrication space between two buildings.
Artisans Asylum hosts approximately 600 monthly active members, 160 studios, and 15 workshops. Shops include
woodworking
Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinetry, furniture making, wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning.
History
Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first materials worked b ...
,
welding
Welding is a fabrication (metal), fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, primarily by using high temperature to melting, melt the parts together and allow them to cool, causing Fusion welding, fusion. Co ...
, bicycle maintenance and repair,
machining
Machining is a manufacturing process where a desired shape or part is created using the controlled removal of material, most often metal, from a larger piece of raw material by cutting. Machining is a form of subtractive manufacturing, which util ...
, electronics and robotics, jewelry, digital fabrication, a digital photo studio, fiber arts, casting, laser cutting,
CNC machines, prop shop, and design lab. The Asylum hosts 30-40 public classes each month, providing hands-on tool training and skill-building courses. As of 2013, the Asylum housed 40 or 50 small manufacturing companies, and raised the number of manufacturing firms in nearby
Somerville
Somerville may refer to:
Places
Australia
*Somerville, Victoria, a town
**Somerville railway station
* Somerville, Western Australia, a suburb of Kalgoorlie, Australia
New Zealand
* Somerville, New Zealand, a suburb of Manukau City, New Zea ...
by 50%. The Asylum is credited with attracting the incubator Greentown Labs to Somerville and contributing to the city's creative economy.
In 2023, it generated $1.4 million dollars in revenue and $2.25 million in expenses.
Location in Allston
In January of 2023, Artisans relocated from 10 Tyler St. in Somerville to two buildings in Allston, a neighborhood of Boston. This move resulted in a 10,000 square foot expansion of the space.
96 Holton St.
96 Holton St, referred to as "Holton", is the primary address for Artisans Asylum. It contains the front desk and mail center. All public-facing events, including classes, occur at or require check-in at this address. This building houses several communal workshops, including those dedicated fiber arts, electronics and robotics, jewelry-making, digital fabrication, screen printing, and metal casting.
55 Antwerp St.
Referred to as "Antwerp", this building contains a metal shop, machine shop, and wood shop.
SCUL SCUL (formerly an acronym for Subversive Choppers Urban Legion) is a Boston-area bicycle chopper gang that builds and rides mutant bicycles, chopper bicycles, and tall bikes.
Spun off of a group called the Flying Donuts, SCUL was founded in Boston ...
, a bicycle-based "chopper gang", is based in this building as well.
Organizational Structure
Members at Artisans Asylum have 24/7 access to the space via key fobs distributed at new member orientations. The space is largely member-run, and it relies on volunteers to clean and maintain shops and common areas. The front desk is run by a fleet of volunteers termed "Deskies". Tool testers, who ensure that new users can safely operate machinery, are also volunteers.
Artisans Asylum has three full-time staff who manage development, facilities, and educational programs.
References
External links
*
{{Hackerspace
Hackerspaces
Hacker culture