Graduate Guide to workshop and fabrication facilities in Scotland

It is graduate season! Degree show is over, portfolios are being frantically posted out. Many of you are away to trade shows and exhibitions around the country. Around this time, graduates will find themselves without a workshop to make their work. Many people begin to appreciate the technical facilities they had access to at art school or college.

But ignore the panic! Scotland has a network of open access workshop facilities, giving you access to machinery and tools so that you can keep making. As an antidote to the problem of "where do I go now?!" - we've written a guide for graduates to workshop and fabrication facilities in Scotland. 

Sculpture Workshops

Sculpture workshops are spaces specifically for making artwork. Most are purpose built - and offer studio spaces, access to machinery and technical courses for specific skills.

Glasgow's sculpture studios has a strong selection of metal and woodworking equipment, and an impressive technical team. Based in The Whisky Bond, they also offer a commercial fabrication service if you don't want to be making everything yourself.

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop has a larger moulding and casting space, and runs stone-working courses. Bill Scott Sculpture Centre which has fantastic light throughout the space making it ideal for making. The workshop can be rented by the day or via memberships.

The Scottish Sculpture Workshop in Lumsden is free of everyday distractions and provides accommodation in its rural setting. There is a foundry, ceramics facility and metalwork on-site. Mainly orientated around residencies and projects, director Nuno Sacramento describes the space as  "where artists go to be artists."

Print Studios

Scotland has a particularly strong network of print studios. Printmaking techniques such as lithography, etching, screen printing and Intaglio are commonly provided for.

Most studios require memberships or introductory training, then be accessed as often as you need. Glasgow Print Studio and Edinburgh Printmakers need you to have technical expertise to join - but others like Highland Print Studio in Inverness, Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Studio and Peacock Visual Arts in Aberdeen are happy to teach you as you go.

Most of these facilities also have framing services in house - or if not, we recommend Kelvin Framers in Glasgow.

To find out more check out the Make Works Guide to printmaking.

Digital Fabrication 

Processes like laser cutting, 3D printing and CNC machining are more and more frequently used, and there are a whole host of digital fabrication spaces, maker spaces and Fablabs popping up across the country providing open access workshops.

Scotland's original digital fabrication workshop, MAKLab, still operates from Charing Cross in Glasgow with access to so many machines, their extensive list is too long for their Make Works profile! They also have tools for making your own electronics, garments and jewellery. Further north, you can also use MAKE Aberdeen which is an open access maker space.

Some print and sculpture studios, such as DCA in Dundee, also host digital fabrication equipment. You can find this out by looking at the machines and process list on each company's listing.

Many local laser cutters and fabricators also have other digital fabrication equipment in house and might be happy to let you into the workshop to use it. Here are a few to try -

B Scenic Construction and Evergreen Studio in Edinburgh, Flux Laser Studio, Jet Cut, Podbox, and STEP 3D Print and Design in Glasgow.

Textiles Facilities

Scotland has some of the strongest textiles and fashion graduates in the world, and linking up designers and industry is key for the Textiles trade.

For facilities, Heriot Watt have a membership system that allows members of the public access to almost all of their equipment - including Shima machines, 30m print tables, overheads, dobby and jaquard looms. There is a similar set up in Shetland at the Textile Facilitation unit for accessing small runs on the Shima machine.  Process Studios also offer access to pattern cutting tables, industrial sewing machines, an 8m print table, looms and a knitting machine.

For printing - Jamie Tetsill at Square Club has print tables for hire. If you are working in digital fabric prints - BeFab Be Creative or the CAT center are your go-to places.

Garment construction equipment (overheads and pattern tables) are notoriously tricky - but Kalopsia Collective in Edinburgh are working towards a shared textiles workshop. If you are beginning to out-source your construction, for small runs speak to custom tailors Bettyspoke or Emily Millichip or for larger scale try DM Fashions.

For those interested in weave - there are looms for hire at Process Studios or you might want to take a trip to Global Yell in Shetland.

Jewellery Benches

There are a host of programmes in Scotland for emerging jewellers. One of the first of these - Vanilla Ink, is now opening again in Glasgow.

Benches are also easy to come by, at workshops such as Silverhub studios, AU Boutique, Makers Workshop and Process Studios.

Ceramics and Glass

Although there are now few degree courses in ceramics and glass, there is enough of a demand to support facilities for them.

For glass head up to North Lands Creative Glass - a glass making facility with both hot and cold working; and a fantastic technical team.

If you're working with Ceramics take a look at shared spaces such as Glasgow Ceramics Studios, Process Studios and Fireworks Studio which focus mainly on hand building and throwing. For these processes, including slipcasting take a trip to Cyan Clayworks in Edinburgh.

 For more inspiration - take a look at the Make Works Guide to Ceramics by Kevin Andrew Morris. 

Wondering what people are making on Make Works? Check out our Made Works feature on Risotto Studio

If you've got open access workshop facilities for making and would like to be included in this guide get in touch and tell us about what you do.