17 - mpark: a humanities makerspace

Abstract

Our mission is to promote nontraditional understandings of the textual object and to recover and celebrate the historical contributions of women and other marginalized groups to textual cultural heritage. We explore text-making with materials like thread, fiber, leather, wood, and plastic as well as a wide range of digital tools and visual recording equipment. We are devoted to expanding the impact of the humanities by supporting cross-disciplinary collaboration and by reaching beyond the university to engage with innovations and challenges that face our larger geographical and social contexts. Founded in Fall 2023 and occupying 400 square feet on the second floor of Batten College of Arts and Letters, mpark’s first years have been devoted to acquiring old and new technologies and to physical renovations of our space. We have partnered with the honors college on a pilot digital humanities course, hosted a media archaeology class, and offered approximately a dozen workshops and community events (Craft Ins)