All across the country communities and universities are coming together to craft a new type of creative space. 

The communities call themselves MakerSpaces, HackerSpaces or FabLabs. Their goal?: To nurture the artistic and entrepreneurial spirit by developing a place for people to come together and create. 

MakeICT, a new nonprofit group with the goal of creating a permanent MakerSpace in Wichita, is the brainchild of four men: John Harrison, Tom McGuire, James Seymour and Jens Torell.  Three of the four have a Wichita State connection. Harrison teaches for the school of engineering and is the WSU symphony concertmaster; McGuire and Seymour studied engineering at WSU. Torell does not a WSU connection.

Torell, a sales engineer for Cessna, said that the men found each other and developed the goal of a large, public MakerSpace for Wichita. Harrison, McGuire and Seymour worked together at Wichita’s Hack.Art.Lab (HAL) and their shared experience is a constant development resource for MakeICT.

MakeICT’s first workshop, “Learn to Solder,” was held the weekend of Nov. 24 at WSU’s ShiftSpace Gallery at 800 E. Third St North. The workshop offered a two-hour session about the basics of soldering and soldering kits were available for $5. With enough kits for 40 people, the event ran close to capacity with about 30 people participating and more watching from the sidelines.

“It was a good first run,” Torell said. “We’re still trying to get our name out there.” 

He said that MakeICT subsidized the cost of the soldering kits to draw more people in. 

“Learn to solder is a first step,” Torell said. One goal for the group is the development of higher-level workshops but the limitations of not having a set MakerSpace makes scheduling large workshops difficult. 

“The physical space is a big part of what we want to do,” Torell said. “We’re just trying to find places to hold events. It’s kind of a who you know type of thing.”

MakeICT lucked out with the WSU ShiftSpace, where gallery director Lisa Rundstrom, Torell said, was happy to let them use the space. “Having access to ShiftSpace is helpful to us,” Torell said.

The soldering workshop filled up with WSU alumnus, faculty and people that shared a connection with the university. Torell said that MakeICT draws in an older, graduated crowd that is looking to build new skills post-degree. 

For current students, Torell said “once they graduate they won’t have access to the resources anymore.” 

“What would current students like to see at a MakerSpace?” Torell said. He suggested competitions between the university and the greater MakerSpace community. Ultimately, MakeICT is trying to facilitate the maker community in Wichita, whether the community originates on or off campus doesn’t seem to matter. 

The next event for MakeICT is a maker gathering at the WSU ShiftSpace at 4 p.m. on Sunday. It is free and open to the public and anyone interested in attending is encouraged to bring a project they are working on to share. The telephone number is 316-266-6476.

For more information on goals and upcoming events, visit the MakeICT Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MakeIcT.