Inspiring Works From Rural Farms, Forests, & Charming Villages on the Salish Sea

San Juan Island Makers Circle

Notes from San Juan Island Visioning Circle, Feb 5th, 2023

Key values: Community Connections

Education – learning and teaching

Building a year round Economy

 

Community Notes:

 

Mission

 

The purpose is to live meaningful and fulfilling lives in order to support and nurture a thriving community.

 

Needs

 

Leadership to facilitate community connections

Space and tools to make and create

Grant opportunities

Business/management tools

Relational tools / Inter and intra personal

Grower and Makers Village

“Slow the Folk Down” re: Folk Life Magazine from BC Island

Directory to find like minded makers and artist networking

Building community through gatherings, i.e. Grange Potlucks

Physical community bulletin board, possibly online

County Fair as a good platform bringing lots of people together

Utilize Makers Guild Diretory to connect people

Welcoming committee and resources for new residents

Combined recycle, reuse, maker space, repair, classes, store front

Combined approach to marketing: social media, email, flyers, word of mouth

 

Obstacles: ways to get the word out, Internet vs flyers; need common gathering places

Education notes:

 

Needs

 

Teach the community more sustainable skills

Adult ed. Youth ed. Apprentice programs.

People with skills need to teach, they are valuable

We want more educational experiences, hands on skills, for other makers to take.

Maybe a rotating troop teaches.

Finding mentors for budding artists who want to learn from each other.

Host are”challenges” with common theme to bring people together, focus artists, build community

Create educational opportunities under exisiting organizations

Material swap fair

Educate tourists

Provide help with making, repairing, food preserving

 

Obstacles: need teaching and gathering spaces

Economy notes:

 

Can we create a culture of sustainability in our work?

Enhance recycling and repair

 

We need to build an economic model that works outside the summer season, inclusive of locals.

 

Can we facilitate connection among makers to support other makers? e.g. builders promoting local artists.

 

Pooling resources. Shared spaces. Shared equipment. Shared epertise (marketing, buisness,accounting etc).

 

Judicious use of resources.

Localized economy.

Local discounts.

Coop shops to sell locally made things.

Apprentiships – local business to offer positions with pay.

Knowing who does what.

Promote makers guild.

Reclaim word of mouth tradition.

What crafts are needed?

Need an infrastructure plan.

We are in transition – construction.tourism to makers, growers, keepers

 

 

 

Photo from SJI Grange Repair Cafe