Philly’s DIY Community Shows Its Stuff: #MadeatDMD Opens at Esther Klein Gallery on December 18

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The Department of Making + Doing (DM+D) is getting into the DIY holiday spirit as it showcases the work of its makers and doers with #MadeAtDMD, the makerspace’s first exhibition and sale.

The Department of Making + Doing (DM+D) is getting into the DIY holiday spirit as it showcases the work of its makers and doers with #MadeAtDMD, the makerspace’s first exhibition and sale. #MadeAtDMD will spotlight the creativity and diversity of Philadelphia’s maker community including designers, hackers, builders, artists, technologists and engineers. #MadeAtDMD will open at the University City Science Center’s Esther Klein Gallery (EKG) at 3600 Market Street in Philadelphia, on December 18 and run through January 16, 2015. The exhibition will feature over 25 projects all conceived, designed and fabricated at DM+D.

The Department of Making + Doing is a community space for novices and experts alike to get inspired and make great things. A collaborative effort between four organizations —The Hacktory, NextFab Studio, Public Workshop and the Science Center’s STEAM Initiatives — DM+D offers a multi-disciplinary opportunity for teens and adults to “make things” using a high-tech and low-tech tools paired with hands-on learning opportunities in an energizing workshop space on the Science Center campus.

DM+D invites you to get inspired by beautiful and useful products that were designed and built by a unique team of teens and young adults through leadership training with Public Workshop’s Building Heroes. Intricate lasercut lamps, unique coasters, geometric desk organizers and more will be on display and for sale. Each purchase directly supports a Building Hero.

#MadeatDMD visitors will be able to experience the interplay of mathematics and mechanics through art by making their own works of art on with a giant 6 foot spirograph. This multicolored masterpiece was built by organizers of The Hacktory’s ‘Kid’s Club,’ a weekly afterschool program for 3rd – 5th graders to explore art and technology.

Also on display at #MadeatDMD will be the DM+D Mobile Maker Cart—an adult tricycle transformed by DM+D into a custom vehicle for on-the-go making. The Mobile Maker Cart features an expandable workbench and a folding canopy that draws passerby into activities and helps them imagine what can make and do.

The opening reception for #MadeatDMD will take place on Thursday, December 18 from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. The December 18 reception will include refreshments and plenty of hands-on maker activities. #MadeatDMD is free and open to the public.

About the Science Center
The University City Science Center is a dynamic hub for innovation, and entrepreneurship and technology development in the Greater Philadelphia region. It provides business incubation, programming, lab and office facilities, and support services for entrepreneurs, start-ups, and growing and established companies. The Science Center was the first, and remains the largest, urban research park in the United States. Since it was founded in 1963, graduate organizations and current residents of the University City Science Center’s Port business incubators have created more than 15,000 jobs that remain in the Greater Philadelphia region today and contribute more than $9 billion to the regional economy annually. For more information about the Science Center, go to http://www.ucsc2014review.org.

About the Esther Klein Gallery
The Esther Klein Gallery (EKG), which opened at the Science Center in 1976, uses the creative arts as a platform to explore relationships between art, science and technology. EKG seeks to positively impact the cultural life of both its immediate neighborhood of West Philadelphia and the broader Philadelphia community. EKG programming is designed to explore the range of art, science and technology exhibitions and includes gallery talks, panel discussions, and education programs. http://www.Estherkleingallery.tumblr.com

About the Department of Making + Doing
The Department of Making + Doing (DM+D) is a collaboration between four dynamic Philadelphia-based organizations—The Hacktory, NextFab, Public Workshop and the University City Science Center—which blend expertise in design, fabrication, electronics, and art to encourage learning through doing. DM+D’s hands-on civic innovation workshop provides the space, tools and knowledge to empower youth, adults and community organizations to make and do great things throughout the area. For more information about DM+D, go to http://www.dmdphilly.org

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Jeanne Mell
University City Science Center
+1 (215) 966-6029
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Kristen Fitch
University City Science Center
(215) 966-6156
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