FAQ's : Start a Make Works Region

The Basics

What is Make Works?

Make Works is an open access resource, providing information about local manufacturers, makers, materials, processes, tools and workshops.  You can learn more on our about page.

What sort of places or people are listed on Make Works?

There are three types of listings on Make Works. Fabricators (Manufacturers and Makers), Suppliers (Materials) and Facilities (Workshops, Maker Spaces, Sculpture Studios).

Who can use Make Works?

Anyone and everyone. Make Works is built to be an open access internet resource. It is free to use, and free to be listed. You can find out why here.

Why is there a focus on artists and designers?

Make Works was built with the creative community in mind and we focus on finding fabricators and facilities that are open to creative work, small scale one-offs and experimentation in the manufacturing process. That said, we think that everyone is, and can be creative, so we hope that Make Works inspires everyone to make, adapt or repair things for themselves.

You can read more common Make Works FAQ's here. 

Running a Make Works

Why would I want to start a Make Works?

1. 
   

   You get to spend your days researching, meeting, interviewing, filming and photographing the real people behind manufacturing, making and industry in your area.

   
   


2. 
   

   You will create a practical, useable resource for your community to use when making, manufacturing or repairing things.

   
   


3. 
   

   You will bring new work to the makers, manufacturers, workshops and suppliers you profile. This sustains skills, local economies and industries for the future.

   
   


4. 
   

   By connecting the creative community with manufacturing, you encourage new, innovative uses of existing processes and materials.

   
   


5. 
   

   You can help take an active role in shifting the emphasis from mass production to sustainable, local manufacturing. 

   
   


6. 
   

   Because it actually works! The Scottish manufacturers we list get frequent commissions and the number of enquiries is growing each week. Established artists and designers use us to find factories to make products and artworks and we’ve also seen members of the general public using the platform to have a specific spring made to fix a garage door, or find out where to pick up some locally made wood polish.

   
   

Who can run a Make Works region?

Anyone can run a Make Works region, provided you have the passion, skills and commitment to do so. You might be a photographer, designer, filmmaker, artist, geographer, writer, architect, producer, technician, researcher or something else...

Is there anyone who can't run a Make Works region?

There are a few people we won’t grant licences to:

- Anyone under the age of 18.

- Students (you have enough on your plate, but let us know when you graduate!) :)

- Individuals associated with controversial or extremist organizations.

- Individuals who have potential to use the platform to promote spiritual or religious beliefs, commercial products or any kind of political agenda.

-Individuals or organisations with a conflict of interest to our organisation and mission. 

Note: You are not allowed to formally affiliate yourself to the Make Works brand until we have granted you permission.

What does it mean to run a Make Works? What is involved?

Each Make Works region tends to be led by one or two people. These people lead their team to map the local manufacturers, makers, suppliers and facilities in that region. The team size can vary but you will need to cover:

Research – locating and contacting factories, workshops, makers, suppliers and manufacturers in your area. This also involves curating your region in line with with Make Works mission and verify listings to ensure quality remains high.

Documentation – Organise and manage factory visits; interviewing, filming and photographing makers, manufacturers and suppliers on-site; edit documentation; collect profile information.

Uploading – Collating, editing and posting new listings on a regular basis, and making sure information is kept up to date.

Sustainability – You’ll need to cover the costs of the project for your region. This might include finding sponsors, fundraising, applying for grants, crowdfunding, or coming up with alternative social enterprise models.

Spreading the word – Marketing, communication and content writing for your region.

Keeping in touch - Maintaining contact with Make Works HQ and other regions as the network builds.

How much time does it take to run a Make Works region?

We reckon you need to dedicate at least 50-60 hours each month to run a Make Works. Ideally, you’ll be working on it at least two days a week. We’ve found that factory finding is an addictive process, so once you’ve listed a few, you’ll want to find more and more!

How many factory listings will mean our directory is ‘enough’?

We waited to launch till we had 85 listings (and it definitely works better, the more listings you have.) We’ll let you go live once you have 12 listings though.

What is the role of MW HQ?

Mainly our role is about leading the technical side of things, making sure the platform is running as well as it possibly can be for you and your users. We’re also there to support you, making sure that you feel confident in what you are trying to achieve for your region, and helping in whichever way we can.

As a Make Works Region you get full access to our database software and our API which is specifically built for working with, searching, and making sense of manufacturing of data. We’ll also provide you with handbooks, tools and resources to make the project easier to run - for example presentation templates, branding materials, sign-up forms and information packs. Regions also get access to our internal Slack for all MW groups, their own Make Works email addresses and an invite to our annual Make Works meetup.

We also run training in filming, photography and data-collection, which is bespoke to the needs of each team in each region.

Can I run my own events, cultural programmes or residencies?

Yes, and please do! Make Works, and our users might be primarily based online, but meeting up in real life is as, if not more important for the community. Over the years we’ve tried our hand at running everything from artist residencies to lecture nights; Pecha Kucha’s to manufacturing pub quizzes; publications and exhibitions, making Chrome plug ins, to speed dating for makers and manufacturers meet-ups. We can’t wait to see how different regions build on these ideas and develop their own public programmes for their area.

Why did you start opening up Make Works for places to use outside of Scotland?

We have always tried to follow open principles at Make Works, and in 2015 we were getting a particularly high number of enquiries from cities and countries around the world. Many of these people had seen our platform, and wanted ‘a Make Works’ (or something like it) where they lived. Knowing how difficult it was to map the manufacturers, build the website and database in the first place - we figured that opening up, sharing and teaching what we had done already seemed like the next logical step.

Your Team

How many people do I need?

This depends! Our original team was made up of a researcher, a photographer and a filmmaker. The main thing is that within your team you cover the core skills: filmmaking and photography; research; communication (written and spoken); logistics.

What type of person do you need to be to run a Make Works?

First and foremost, you need to be interested in documenting and showcasing the brilliant work that other people are doing, so that your community can find them. You’ll be somebody that can think laterally and listen; to feedback, to factory owners, to your team, to creatives looking for new factories. Ideally, you’ll have a basic understanding of manufacturing processes. The most important part in that is being able to communicate what a process or material is, what it does and how you might go about making something with it.

Make Works is a platform with a very practical purpose - to make the information about local manufacturers, suppliers and workshop facilities more accessible. The other side involves finding interesting stories, film-making, photography, interviewing people, exploring local areas and having an eye for detail so you’ll need to be good at balancing the useful with the visual.

You need to have a bit of GRIT about you. Factories won’t always call you back, fundraising is usually difficult, and there are a lot of people who will tell you that changing our manufacturing system is simply not possible. You need to be resourceful, patient, persistent and resilient.

Are people who work on a regional Make Works paid?

Ideally, yes. We all deserve to be paid for our time and hard work. However, all Make Works regions are responsible for raising their own funds so, keep in mind that at the beginning you probably won’t have budget to pay yourself while you get set up.

Can a region be led by multiple organisations / partners?

You can partner up with as many people that you think will help you. However we just need one point of contact for each region.

Can my makerspace / fablab / hackspace / Maker Library / design agency / architecture firm  / studio group run a Make Works?

Absolutely! We just need you to form a committed group or identify an individual to be responsible for the project, and make sure you / they have enough time to work on it.

Can I run a Make Works as part of a larger project? (e.g regional economic development, a transition town etc)

Again, as long as you are have enough time, and identify a specific person or group to focus and commit to the Make Works platform, then yes.

Can universities apply to run a Make Works?

We will consider applications from universities on a case by case basis. Regions can work in partnership with a university too if they think it will help.

Your Region

How do I know if there is a demand for Make Works in my region?

Before you get going, we’ll share some straightforward research activities with you so that you can establish potential demand in the area.

Can there be more than one Make Works per region?

Nope. If somebody is already in charge of the region or city you want to map, then you can get in touch with them and see if you can work together. If you have concerns about an individual running a region then just let us know.

Can I propose a Make Works for an entire country?

It really depends how big your team is and what resources you have! We’ve found that that 78,387km2 (Scotland) is more than enough to be mapping for one small team, so we’d advise to keep to regions smaller than that (ideally about a city size), at least to begin with.

Can I organise a Make Works for a town, village or small area?

Yes, but you’ll need to make sure there are enough manufacturers, makers or workshops there to justify it. We suggest you should be aiming for a minimum of 30.

What if the region I want to map is very close to another Make Works region?

Not a problem. Make Works is all about being open and sharing information. If there are manufacturers on regional borders, we’ll team you up and you can decide who should list what.

Listings

How do I know whether somebody ‘fits’ on the directory?

Make Works listings are divided into three categories. Fabricators (factories, manufacturers and makers that fabricate work for others), Suppliers (places you can get raw materials) and Facilities (workshops with equipment you can access, such as makerspaces, fablabs, sculpture workshop or print studios).

We often get requests from skilled or talented makers, craftsmen and artisans who only do commissions in their own artistic style, and so don’t fit the core purpose of the platform. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis so we’ll go over how to navigate this in training, and we have listing criteria that you can use.

Do all listings need to be approved by MWHQ?

Nope, but we will flag up and remove a listing if we think it doesn’t fit or hasn’t been documented well enough. We’ll make sure you get adequate training, and always have a conversation about it with you first.

Do I need to go and visit every single factory?

Yes, a member of your Make Works team needs to visit every factory.

Filming and Photography

How often do you film factories?

We try to film 6 factories each month -  sometimes we manage more, sometimes we manage less. The same goes for you! As long as you have are adding content to the site on a regular basis it keeps users coming back.  

Can I change the format or content of the films?

There is a specific format to the Make Works films which you need to (roughly) follow. We love learning from how regions build on them though, and you can of course use the factory visit as an opportunity to capture more footage for your own projects.

How does photography work?

There are 8 core photographs from each factory. Again, once you have captured the essentials, then you can snap away!

Can I list some factories with photos only?

Yes you can! It's worth noting though, that the listings on Make Works Scotland with have no film get fewer enquiries.

Training

What training does Make Works offer?

Our general training takes place in Scotland, and covers all the essentials; what and how to run a Make Works, how to map local manufacturing, get in touch with factories and co-ordinate visits.

We will tailor training to suit your needs but we’ll make sure you feel confident to capture and edit films and photography, curate and upload a listing and maintain communications with your audience and your manufacturers. There will also be an opportunity for you to come along to one of our filming days with our team to try everything out.

Does everyone need to go through training?

Yes. We can do a lot of it online, but the training session is important to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Does training cost anything?

Training is included in the Year 1 licence, but you need to cover your own costs of the team getting to and staying in Scotland for a few days. We can come to you too, but we ask that you cover our team's travel costs.

Licences

Do I need to sign a license agreement?

Yes. Once we’ve given you the go-ahead we’ll get you to sign a regional Make Works license so that you can be part of the network.  

How long is the commitment for running a Make Works?

Our licenses are one year long and in most cases we offer regions the opportunity to renew this each year.

What legal structure can you use to run a Make Works region?

You can run a Make Works region as an individual, or freelancer, although some regions will establish formal organisations such as a Company Limited by Guarantee. This can be useful to keep finances in order or apply for certain types of funding.

Can I reach out to potential funders, sponsors or factories before I’ve got the license?

Absolutely. We just ask that you are clear and explain that you do not officially represent MW (yet!) but are applying for a license to start one for the area.

When can I start doing social media for my region?

We know you will be keen to start spreading the message, but please do not register social media accounts on behalf of Make Works. Once you have a license and we are helping you set up, we will help you with accounts, images, logos and sample descriptions.

Budget

Like any project, Make Works needs people, tools and equipment to make it happen. Things like travelling costs to and from factories, kit for filming, photography and sound, and making sure that you and your team are paid fairly for your hard work.

So how much does it cost to start?

When we started, we raised £45,000 from different arts funders for a project we called the Make Works Tour. This allowed three of us to travel, visit and film 85 factories over 3 months (we did it as a pretty intensive road trip in a VW Campervan), purchase all of our camera equipment, insurance and software subscriptions like Adobe Creative Cloud, Vimeo and Dropbox. We also ran a residency programme, where 8 artists and designers were invited to join us on the road exploring manufacturers in Scotland for one week at a time.

An ideal budget is around £80,000 a year to comfortably run a Make Works (covering a team, filming, studio space etc) We recommend you think about raising at least £20,000 to start though. This will cover the basic costs of getting going – including covering your time to research and find factories, accounting for a decent amount of filming and photography, training and access to the software. 

That still sounds like a lot of money! Can you help me with funding applications, grants, scholarships, sponsorships, crowdfunding campaigns (etc) ?

Yes. We’ve been through it before and will help where we can with reading over applications. We’ll also send you pitch materials and fundraising resources to help you plan.

Over time, we hope that regions will start sharing their expertise and experiences with each other too.

How much do I need to contribute so that I can be part of Make Works?

We’re asking new regions to contribute annually, to share out the collective overhead costs of running servers, technical support and web development. We're pretty pro 'Pay What You Think' for this, but suggest the contribution is around £5,000 (+VAT) for Year 1, then £2500 (+ VAT) each year following. We suggest that you budget for this in any fundraising you undertake. The higher cost of the first year is taking into account training, plus any extra support and resources we reckon we'll need to support you with over that time. 

Why do you ask for a contribution?

Simply put, because it takes lots of time and money to host, build, develop and run the Make Works website. We’re a small organisation, and we want to be able to sustain the site, keep the software running at a high quality, and be in a position to be able to make improvements to it. If there is a bug that we need to fix for example, we need to be able to have the resources to cover developer costs to fix it. If our server subscriptions run out, we want to be able to renew them.

Although we understand that charging a contribution to access the Make Works software is a barrier, what we’re suggesting is significantly less than the web design and developer costs you would need be to build a similar platform from scratch. Plus, the money will be used to support the collective operational and technical overheads of running and improving the platform for everyone long-term. 

Will this always be the structure?

Our ambition is that over the years, as the number of Make Works regions increases, the suggested contribution will significantly reduce for each region, as these costs will be shared out among more people.

What sort of cost is associated with running a Make Works region ongoing?

This completely depends on the following factors:

-How big your region is (travel costs of getting to factories)

-How many listings you are intending to add each year (filming and photography costs)

-How many people you’ll be paying to work on it, and their expectations of pay (team costs)

-Whether or not you already have access to things like studio space, internet, computer equipment, camera and sound equipment, software subscriptions etc (general project overheads)

-Whether you are intending on running public events, introducing a cultural programme or running associated projects (exhibitions, publications, film screenings etc).  

We’ll make sure and provide you with sample budgets so that you can work out what is or is not possible for your region.

How else can I be paid or raise money to work on this project?

Public funding, art grants, local council bids, sponsorships and crowdfunding are all logical places to start with funding. You can also use your own entrepreneurial means to support your region in alternative ways. For example, you could set up a shop selling local materials from your listed manufacturers, run a local trade show, or create your own locally-made products. We’ve also found that you can (sometimes!) be paid for giving talks, or receive a production fee when working on events, educational workshops and public programming around the project.

I’ve noticed there is a donate page on the Make Works website, how will those funds be divided up?

Once your region is up and running, then users will be able to opt whether their donation goes to your specific region, or the Make Works project in general (MWHQ).

Will Make Works always be available for free to people accessing the website?

Yes. Make Works is always free to access, and free to be listed. We think of it like a public library. You can find out why here.

Can I charge factories for the filming costs?

No. This is to make sure that everyone listed on Make Works is there because they are relevant to the project, and because of their craftsmanship, quality and skills, rather than an ability to pay for it. If a listing is really pleased with the film and photography though, then they can donate the overhead costs back to your region specifically.

Can I charge factories to use the content (e.g film and photography) on their own websites?

No. All content is licensed under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 which means that listed companies can use this content free of charge, provided they link back to your Make Works page. Again, if a manufacturer is really pleased with the film and photography, they can make a donation to your region specifically.

Can I receive a ‘cut’ for projects that manufacturers, suppliers and workshops get as a result of Make Works?

No. If your listed companies are really pleased with the number of commissions they are receiving though then they are free to donate, like giving a tip to your region or the project.

Can I start charging for other companies to advertise on the site?

Nope! It’s not our style.

Can I start doing consultancy services for people struggling to find the ‘right’ manufacturer, production process, or needing help managing their fabrication project?

Yes! Once you get going, we think these are straightforward services you can provide to generate some revenue for your region - and believe us, startups, designer-makers, film companies, media, business support organisations (etc) will all be requesting it.

Our only ask is that you make sure that all information is also made openly available on your region’s Make Works, so that all users can still source manufacturers quickly and easily themselves.

NB - As a note, if you are doing consultancy work, you will need to do it under your own company name.

Other

What if I would rather start my own thing?

The more people supporting small scale, local manufacturing the better, and you are welcome to build on our work, and start your own platform with a similar model and /or purpose. We just ask that you do not use the “Make Works” name, try to be original in your work or don’t make a forgery of the platform design.

I don’t want to run Make Works myself, but I can see the value for it in my city / country. Will you come and map my region for me?

In specific circumstances we will offer something of a concierge service for new regions. We can build you a suitable team and train them to map that region. However, as the point of contact, you would ultimately be responsible for fundraising and long term team for the area.

I’d like something that is like Make Works, but not branded as Make Works. Can I use your software anyway?

No. The Make Works platform took us a long time to develop so we’re committed to ensuring that any use of it supports the Make Works brand. Plus, the more people behind a united cause the better for everyone.

I’d like to use this platform to map and document something else in my area (e.g creative practitioners, local food production, educational resources etc). Can you give me a copy of the software so that I can use it for this purpose?

We’re not offering a ‘white labelled’ version of Make Works. If you are interested in similar ways of documenting we would be happy to consult with you on a project, or refer you to recommended designers, developers, film teams etc that might be useful.

I’d like to use the data on Make Works for another project. How do I get ahold of it?

We now have a live api for Make Works, which regions can use to build new tools and extensions. 

I’d like to use the content on Make Works for an article / project / blog /  book / website (etc). How do I get a hold of it?

Our film and photography is licensed under Creative Commons (BY-SA 4.0) This means you can use and build on the work, and you just need to cite, credit and link to Make Works.