Name: Kalamazoo Makerspace - Artist Studio Membership & Fabrication Space
Address: Kalamazoo, MI

Fabrication Space & Artist Membership in Kalamazoo, MI

Searching for an artist studio or fabrication space in Kalamazoo, but not ready for a full private lease?

Kalamazoo Makerspace offers membership-based access to a shared, tool-rich environment instead of four bare walls. Think of it as a fabrication lab and open studio rolled into one: areas for woodworking, a metal shop with welding, a laser shop, a 3D printing lab, and plenty of open shared workshop tables where artists, designers, and fabricators work side by side.

Why Artists Choose a Makerspace Over a Private Studio

You want fabrication tools you could never fit or afford in a solo studio: welders, saws, CNC, laser, 3D printers, and more.
You like the idea of open shared workshop space where you meet other makers, not working alone behind a door.
Your work blends mediums: sculpture, furniture, kinetic art, installations, functional art, or design prototypes.
You prefer a membership model to a long commercial lease with utilities and build-out costs.
You value learning new techniques from a community that includes engineers, woodworkers, coders, and fellow artists.

What You Get With Artist Studio Membership

Access to a community wood shop for building frames, furniture, sculptures, and installations.
Use of the metal shop & welding area for armatures, brackets, kinetic work, and public art structures.
Digital fabrication in the 3D printing lab and industrial laser cutter for patterns, stencils, signage, and mixed-media pieces.
Open shared tables and benches throughout the space for layout, assembly, painting prep, and project staging.
Access to the meeting space for critiques, small shows, classes, or artist-led workshops.
A volunteer-run, nonprofit maker community that understands experimentation, iteration, and “works in progress.”

Shared Fabrication Space for Artists, Makers, and Designers

Instead of one narrow “art studio,” Kalamazoo Makerspace gives you a whole ecosystem of workshops. You can rough-cut lumber in the wood shop, weld steel in the metal shop, laser-cut panels, and 3D print components—then bring everything together on open benches in our shared workshop areas.

Wood & Mixed-Media Work

Use the wood shop for sculpture bases, frames, boxes, and installations.
Combine plywood, hardwoods, and found materials with CNC and traditional tools.
Prep large panels and structures that don’t fit in a bedroom studio.

Metal & Structural Fabrication

Build frames, mounts, and armatures in the metal shop & welding area.
Create brackets, stands, and supports for wall pieces and freestanding work.
Experiment with mixed metal-and-wood constructions.

Digital & Experimental Processes

Cut patterns, stencils, and inlays with the industrial laser cutter.
Prototype forms and maquettes in the 3D printing lab.
Blend code, light, movement, and fabrication for interactive pieces.

How Artist Studio Membership Works

Schedule a tour. Come see the open shared workshop spaces, tool zones, and typical in-progress projects. Ask us directly how your work might fit the space.
Choose a membership level. Explore options on our pricing page and pick what matches how often you plan to build.
Complete orientation and safety training. Different areas—wood, metal, laser, 3D printing—have their own expectations.
Bring materials and start fabricating. You supply consumables and artwork materials; we provide the shared tools, infrastructure, and community.
Plug into the community. Join meetups, events, and informal work nights via our calendar and meetups. Your “studio neighbors” might be woodworkers, engineers, or other artists.

Tour the Fabrication Space

Before you sign a lease on a private studio, see what a membership-based fabrication space feels like. You might find everything you need already lives under one roof.

Schedule a Tour View Membership Options

Artist Studio & Fabrication Space FAQ

Is this a private studio or shared workshop?

We are a shared makerspace with open workshop areas, not a set of closed private studios. You’ll work alongside other makers in common spaces, similar to a fabrication lab or co-working shop for physical projects.

What kinds of artists use the space?

Members include woodworkers, metal sculptors, furniture makers, kinetic artists, product designers, tinkerers, and people who blend art with engineering. If your work involves building, fabricating, or prototyping, you’ll likely find a fit here.

Can I leave projects in the space?

In-progress work is often staged in designated areas, but long-term storage is limited and always subject to space, safety, and current policies. During your tour, ask how storage works for the kinds of projects you build.

Can I sell or show the work I make here?

Yes. Many members create work for personal use, commissions, or small businesses. From time to time, members also host classes, demos, or small showcases using our meeting space. Exact opportunities vary over time.

How noisy or messy can my work be?

Our wood and metal shops are built for loud, dusty, and dirty fabrication within safety rules. Finishing, detail work, and quieter processes can often happen at open benches or in common areas. On your tour, we can walk through where your specific process would fit.

How do I see more of what’s possible?

Start with our main homepage, learn more about us, and explore the focused pages for the wood shop, metal shop, 3D printing lab, and laser shop. You can also browse sample projects to see what other members have built.