Hull Culture and Leisure Library Service have been successful in its bid for £243,783 to the ‘Libraries Opportunities for Everyone Innovation Fund’ to create a new Makerspace within Hull Central Library.
This investment will allow Hull Culture and Leisure to create a space within the Central Library where anyone can explore their creativity in the arts, science and technology – whether independently or collaboratively.
The Makerspace will be available to people of all ages who wish to make, think, collaborate, invent, explore and exhibit. Although located within Hull Central Library there will also be mobile resources that will be used to create pop-up Makerspaces, for example at The Big Malarkey Festival in June 2017.
Building on the enthusiasm and excitement of Hull UK City of Culture, this space (called a ‘Makerspace’) will have state-of-the-art digital and electronic equipment, skilled staff providing support, and workshops with the space to make, think, collaborate, explore and exhibit. To ensure all residents have the opportunity, the project will also include a mobile element with pop-up ‘Makerspaces’ happening across the city.
The Arts Council England Libraries Opportunities for Everyone Innovation Fund was launched in December 2016 to enable public library services to develop their vision for the future. Hull Culture and Leisure Library Service have been trying to secure funding to create a Makerspace/Fablab for a number of years as part of its strategic development. This successful bid will enable this vison to become a reality.
The James Reckitt Library Trust have also awarded the Library Service £45,000 towards the development of The Makerspace.
Councillor Terry Geraghty Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure, said:
“We are delighted to be awarded this funding, this is fantastic news for residents and visitors alike. This significant investment will help us to provide first class Makerspace facilities for everyone, including new visitors and which will begin to illustrate the direction of travel and the future of our public libraries.”
Sarah Maxfield, Area Director North at Arts Council England, said:
“The Arts Council is the national development agency for libraries in England and we’re delighted to be investing over £1 million in libraries across the North through our Libraries Opportunities for Everyone Innovation fund. This programme has given us a fantastic opportunity to support new activities in libraries and to reach people who might not normally use their local library service.”
Dr Richard Heseltine, Chair of the James Reckitt Library Trust welcomed the announcement of this funding award, he said:
“The James Reckitt Library Trust is delighted that the library service has secured this funding to realise their ambition to provide Makerspace facilities in Hull. This development fits very well with the Trust’s vision for the future of public libraries and we look forward to seeing the results.”
