FabLab Coventry
Fab Lab Coventry is a city-centre maker space backed by Coventry City Council and the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, focused on improving local employability. Since 2016 FabLab Coventry has supported local people and businesses to learn new skills, qualifications, and more generally confidence in digital and practical learning activities, by offering a variety of courses and workshops.
Designed for and with the community at its heart, FabLab combines research from Coventry University with a practical community maker space to co-create innovative social, economic and environmental programs.
2022/2023
Qualifications achieved
People engaged
Workshops and courses run
Outreach sessions delivered
Engaged onto project-funded activity
Businesses supported
Kilogrammes of fabric upcycled
Kilogrammes of timber upcycled
New workshops added
In 2020, FabLab opened the Eco Furniture Factory in FarGo Village. Driven by the need to live more sustainable lives, the Eco Furniture Factory helps people to turn ideas into reality and give new life to once old, outdated or broken furniture.
One of FabLab’s core activities is developing the skills of local residents and helping individuals face and overcome their challenges relating to employment, isolation and loneliness. They offer 31 different UK accredited courses and qualifications in a range of subjects including Digital Fabrication, Carpentry, Citizen Social Science and Community Health. They also run more specialised programmes to support target groups such as refugees and those furthest from the job market.
However, the space is open to anyone; from budding entrepreneurs looking to start a making business, school pupils, sculptors and scientists. Based in the city centre shopping arcade, anyone can access FabLab’s state-of-the-art computer-controlled tools like 3D printers, CNC and laser cutters, as well as traditional wood working tools. Technicians, researchers and student members are on hand to run classes and provide support for those who want to become citizen social scientists, learn how to use the equipment or test out ideas and develop products.
Social Impact Study 2022–2023