MAKE: Project and reopening update

MAKE @ Story Garden is entering an exciting new phase, and we want CSM staff and students to get involved. If you’re interested in community engagement and have ideas for projects we could host at MAKE in Autumn 2021, we’d love to hear from you.

What is MAKE?

MAKE @ Story Garden is CSM’s community studio based in the Story Garden, a community garden managed by Global Generation, located behind the British Library in Kings Cross. The project embraces the skills, talents and ideas of the people who live and work in Somers Town and the wider Camden area to address local issues, social challenges and to help widen participation in arts and cultural experiences – from making furniture to tackling the climate emergency.

Since late 2019, MAKE has hosted a diverse programme of over 150 activities and workshops, collaborating with over 15 partners, from voluntary groups to local arts organisations. In total, the project has engaged over 1,500 residents from our local area, along with around 400 students.

Projects at MAKE have ranged from regular weekly clay and DIY sessions to community-led initiatives exploring local history, and youth enterprise projects like TrashCan. Throughout the pandemic, the project has continued to engage online with local residents through Make Socials. This approach kept CSM connected to our local communities and regular users of the space, and helped tackle challenges around social isolation and loneliness. You can find out more about the first phase of the MAKE project on our website.

Re-opening MAKE

MAKE is now entering an exciting new phase, and is moving from being College-led to community-led. From June 2021, MAKE’s management and programme will be run by our local partners at the Somers Town Community Association/The Living Centre. CSM will continue to maintain access to the workshops and to collaborate on and deliver projects that are relevant to local communities and to CSM students and staff.

The CSM programme at MAKE over the summer term will be led by the new Public Studio – a cluster of projects aimed at mitigating the twin impacts of COVID-19 and disruptive development within the local area. These projects will be led by groups of graduates and students under the direction of Professor Adam Thorpe (Professor of Socially Responsive Design) and Andreas Lang (Knowledge Exchange Placemaking Lead and M Arch Course Leader).

Share your ideas

From Autumn 2021 onwards, there will be opportunities for CSM Programmes, courses and individual students to use MAKE.

If you have an idea for a future activity or project, or would like more information on the space and CSM’s local engagement and placemaking work, please get in touch with Georgia Jacob, Creative Producer: Local Engagement.

We can’t wait to hear your ideas!

Find out more about MAKE on our website, or follow us on Instagram.