The Artifactory Perth's communal Arts/Technology creative Making space.

Perth Artifactory Inc. http://www.artifactory.org.au ABN 16847853023 version 2012.06.04a

What is the Artifactory?

The Artifactory is a not-for-profit incorporated community organisation. Its aims are to provide a space and forum for people to share skills and collaborate on projects with a focus on technological and artistic outcomes.

An example: we build our own robot tools to help us make other Cool Interesting Stuff, such as clothes with embedded computing, custom furniture, and audio/visual installations. There are many others!

It is an example of a “hackerspace”, a loose world-wide network of community organizations and venues dedicated to inventing, making, learning and creating purely for the fun of it, and bringing experts of all fields together to do it.

A group of people started meeting in pubs to discuss setting up the organisation in early 2009. In September 2009, a viable venue was located and leased in Mt. Lawley, and the 10 founding members formally incorporated the Artifactory.

Over the next two years it grew to 25 members, and it was clear that larger and more industrial 24/7 space would be needed.

A new site in Osborne Park was found.

Now (June 2012), the Artifactory has 44 subscription members, several regular day member purchasers using our workshop, electronics lab, digital media and textile facilities. Thanks to hundreds of locals following the Artifactory through social networks, events at the space often attract many others; for example an electronics class will attract a dozen non-members and a music event around 50. All of those visiting the space make use of the popular social space.

A cross section of creative technology and arts enthusiasts whom by day may be involved in anything from Information Technology, Engineering, and the Sciences, to Media, Marketing and the Arts; and Students of all the above. Our shared, wide-ranging expertise and enthusiasm for Making Stuff is what propels the Artifactory.

To date, the Artifactory has been almost completely privately funded, a testament to the dedication and vision of our members, but also their frugality.

• Subscriptions make up the majority of our income, our members pay monthly fees ranging from $25 to $100 per month, depending on level of access required and student/unwaged status. Members are also the main source of equipment, furniture, and supplies.
• Events such as the increasingly popular experimental “NoizeMaschin” and “Rapture” music evenings.
• Commissioned Work and custom creations using the Artifactory's precision robot tools and stable of keen inventor/technologist/artist members is also a growing source of income.
• Workshops run by members or guest speakers who are often highly expert in their professional fields, and keen to share their skills with colleagues and interested hobbyists.
• Donations from a few beneficent companies have provided us with some of our computers and tools.

To grow further and expand the range of facilities and services the Artifactory provides, we are looking to partner with local government / learning / corporate / artist groups.

By a committee of volunteer members elected by the members, for the members! And on raw enthusiasm for Making Cool Stuff.

* WA Inventor's Association [Technical, no fixed abode]

• SIMILAR: Creative engineering / invention, sharing commercialisation and IP know-how.
• DIFFERENT: No physical facility. Collaboration on projects minimal. Minimal arts focus. Loose association - meets once a month. Has legal experts willing to assist IP protection.

* Men's Sheds [Crafts/Health, Midland (check)]

• SIMILAR: Shared workshop facility. “Making Stuff” focus.
• DIFFERENT: Unisex fo * cus. Mental health focus. Older target group. Much less technical.

* Remida [Arts, North Perth]

• SIMILAR: Artistic/Creative materials use focus. Recycling interest.
• DIFFERENT: Restricted workshop, Much less technical. Strong school-age outreach.

* Future Perth [Progressive urban design & culture]

• SIMILAR: Deploying sustainability technology and design, progressive urban ideas forum, deploying high tech arts, ideas and devices to improve the city.
• DIFFERENT: No permanent facility, not a “Making/Invention” group; a policy interest lobby group.

* SciTech [Popularization of science and technology museum]

• SIMILAR: Engagement is discussions of science and technology.
• DIFFERENT: Our focus is on the making of technology vs their display of technology.

* CIA [Artist collective]

• SIMILAR:
• DIFFERENT:

• 3D Printers – computer-controlled plastic extruders that scarily make some of their own parts (self-replicate), very useful in prototyping.
• Robotic routing / milling machine – carves/engraves wood, metal and plastic in 3 dimensions with sub-millimetre accuracy.
• Electronics – soldering stations with oscilloscopes, logic probes, multi-meters, and basic electronics supplies.
• Workshop – wide range of saws, planers, drills, and other power and hand tools.
• Digital Media – sound and music workstation with electronic drums and keyboards; video mixers, projectors.
• CAD/CAM workstations – for members to digitally design creations for the robot tools to bring forth.
• Social space – sofas, fridge and kitchen to sustain members when busy Making; for talking and exchanging ideas; for designing inventions; for reading our library of craftsmanship, art, design and technology literature.
• Gallery space – Member-made creations on display to inspire further creativity.
• Common Materials – communal supplies of wood, plastic, metal, electronics and other hardware are shared to encourage recycling, save time and money, and quite often, inspire Making by just being there so readily close to a bunch of tools….
• Space to Make – In our increasingly urbanising city, many residents don't have a spare room or shed to build things. A shared Building space catalyses Making from mutual member enthusiasm, as well as allowing home / work / messy-hobby separation.
• BBQ & outdoor lounge - Concerts, meetings, and general hacking days alike make use of our “garden” area to fuel troops with hotdogs and more.

All workshops and themed evenings are open to the public, anyone can join as a “casual member” for a $10 fee per session. Some special sessions with higher materials costs may charge more to recoup costs. Members and experts from the wider community donate their time.

• Electronics Night [Soldering, Arduino programming, and more] (fortnightly)
• RepRap / 3D printer Night [DIY 3D printers and CNC bots] (fortnightly)
• Classic Computing Night [Preserving ye olde architectures] (fortnightly, no longer active)
• Wine & Design [Design + planning discussion with wine] (fortnightly, Wednesday Nights - learn to use CAD/CAM software & CNC machines)
• General Hacking Day [Every saturday]
• Sunday Crafternoon [Non-tech crafts afternoon]
  • Specific examples include Cyberpunk costume making sessions, Steampunk props making sessions
• Music Technology Nights [Software synthesis, DIY instruments]
• Arduino University [Fortnightly, Wednesdsay Nights] (Microcontroller programming & use – wearable computing, art installations, robotics, process control, more)

• Geoffrey Drake-Brockman
• Joey Van Der Bruggen
• Spatula (March 2012)

Monthly experimental music event (Started July 2011 to present, ongoing; latest Jan 2013). One held in association with TURA totally huge new music festival, another was inaugural Perth annual experimental music awards night in conjunction with the organisers of Scitech's Analogue To Digital experimental music events. All performances are recorded and made available via the Artifactory's Bandcamp site, meaning we have 17 concerts online - almost 150 individual performances. 2 concerts are pending editing. Our archive of material has received attention from international experimental radio shows, and ABC National. Curated by Sam Gillies (DJ of RTR's Difficult Listening, and WAAPA post grad student), managed by SKoT McDonald.

Several monthly “club” style events were held late 2011 /early 2012 geared towards technological subcultures eager to show off their music and video tech skills and costumery. Currently in hiatus whilst we work with Stirling City Council to determine land-use zoning classification.

Past:

• Spatula
• Ollie Kellow (ArtStart (check!))
• Christopher de Groot (NoizeMaschin!! Resident Artist 1 Jan-Mar 2012)
• Nathan Thompson (NoizeMaschin!! Resident Artist 2 April-Jun 2012)
• Mace Francis (NoizeMaschin!! Resident Artist 3 Sept-Dec 2012)

Current:

• Jared “Thaddaeus The Exile” (check last name) (NoizeMaschin!! Resident Artist 4 Jan-Mar 2013)

Upcoming:

Completed / Operational:

• DIY 3D printer (more under construction)
• DIY Robotic router/mill (2 more under construction)
• Electric motor bike conversion
• Electric bicycle conversion
• 6 legged Robot
• Custom furniture (Bar, workbench, Penguin-shaped bookcase)
• Many “Objets d'Art Technologique”.
• The Rube Goldberg Modular Marble Run Machine Competition
• Cartesian Gantry Robot (shown at Curtain Robofair 2011)
• The Arcophone (featured on “Make” magazine website and at interstate conferences)
• RFID controlled access to the Artifactory

In progress / ongoing:

• Internet-enabled smoke ring cannon
• “Geeking My Ride” - making cars smarter with extra electronics & computers.
• Computer-designed & carved decorative wood- & metal- work
• Vintage computer restoration
• DIY analogue music synthesizers & theramins
• RFID controlled tool access
• Son Of Swarfomat (CNC robotic tool)