Artisan’s Asylum recognizes the legacy of colonization embedded within the technology, structures, and ways of thinking we use every day. Even the technologies that are central to much of the art we make generates a significant carbon footprint, contributing to changing climates that disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous and People of Color worldwide. We are committed to actively, and on an ongoing basis, giving consideration to our roles in reconciliation, decolonization, and ally-ship with BIPOC, LGBTQ, and other marginalized communities.

Over the next five years Artisan’s Asylum will become known as a refuge for makers of all backgrounds. We will be a place where Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ members have an impact at all levels of the organization and are emboldened to share their fullest creative expression and bring their dreams to life. We will expand our membership community and our service impact from our base of predominantly white, male and higher income members into a welcoming and inclusive space responsive to the needs and aspirations of Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ members and other marginalized communities. We will transform our business model at all levels into a delivery platform that invites and celebrates “making” in all of its traditions.

By 2025…

Artisan’s will be a 1,000-member strong organization that is representative of the communities we serve and the many creative traditions within them. Artisan’s will be governed by a diverse board, led by staff who reflect the diversity of our members, and attract members reflective of the many diverse groups who make the greater Boston region their home. As an ally organization, we will become better positioned to identify and support projects in our communities and to promote and drive support toward diverse member voices and their work. Our communication and our brand will reflect the diversity of our members and the inclusive practices that power our community.

Increase our physical footprint, powering the growth of membership and the resources to fuel our members’ ingenuity. Provide unmatched capabilities in both manual and computer aided fabrication that foster collaboration and creative exploration.

Artisan’s Asylum will expand the size of our facility by 30 percent, increasing the number of studios we offer, the size of our shops, and the amenities that foster a productive and rewarding creative community.

By 2025…

Artisan’s will be a 60,000 SF fabrication campus offering unparalleled resources to advance the learning, practice, and culture of making for all. We will be home to a vibrant community of over 600 multidisciplinary makers and creators who advance their individual projects and work together to meet the needs of the greater Boston region. Our nearly 20 shops will be alive with activity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, just about any day of the year.

Enrich the community by providing unmatched opportunities for lifelong learning in the materials , tools, and processes of fabrication. Attract the most talented and daring instructors to stretch the limits of our imagination and inspire the next generation of makers.

Artisan’s Asylum will increase the breadth, depth and quality of our formal and informal learning opportunities. We’ll provide differentiated, high quality instruction for families and their children, high school and college students, companies and their employees, and lifelong learners of any age. The Greater Boston region will look to Artisan’s as a trusted resource for tool training, skills development and personal edification.

By 2025…

Artisan’s will lead the region in providing standards-aligned hands-on learning opportunities for learners of all ages. We’ll offer more than 50 classes each month that provide over 3,000 students a year with the skills they need to build passion, livelihoods and careers.

Empower more startups to launch at the Asylum by surrounding them with the tools for prototyping, resources to mitigate risk, and the networks to nurture innovative and sustainable companies. Artisan’s will be recognized as an unparalleled environment for open innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.

Artisan’s Asylum will build the physical, human and program infrastructure entrepreneurs need in order to grow . We’ll dedicate 2,500 SF for up to a dozen startup spaces, create tailored learning programs, and cultivate the relationships and networks startups need to access talent, capital, and supply, manufacturing, and distribution chains.

By 2025…

Artisan’s will be home to an ecosystem of people, organizations, and resources that empowers artists and inventors to build new business around their ideas. We’ll provide support for dozens of early stage innovators and creative entrepreneurs to test their ideas, build prototypes, and launch new ventures of any scale.

An artistically inspired and technology enabled space of wonder and amazement, Artisan’s will offer the public an unforgettable experience in the culture and practice of making. The experience we offer will inspire engagement, drive membership and class enrollment, affirm our culture and sustain our business model.

Artisan’s Asylum will create an evolving immersive destination that taps the growing public appetite for unique and lasting experiences that engage the senses and the imagination. We’ll leverage our creative talent to envision and construct elements of the space, and harness the technical capabilities of our engineers to bring cohesion and customization to the user experience. The space will be accessible to the community for public tours and special events, and for private functions.

By 2025…

Artisan’s will be an arts and entertainment destination for our community locally and for tourists to the region. In ongoing collaboration with our members and community partners, Artisan’s will offer an ever-changing physical space for engagement, experimentation and presentation of new and ongoing works that blur the lines between art and engineering, performance and exhibition.