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There’s a Buzz in Cincinnati

In many parts of the country, there is a grassroots movement building to accommodate the tinkerers of this generation.

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Like an artist’s colony, Hive 13 provides makers and tinkerers a venue to pursue the art and science of manufacturing in a collaborative environment. (Photo courtesy of Chris Hodapp).

There seems to be a movement afoot in this country to reclaim our historic role as makers of things. We once were preeminent in this, but for some time we have lost our way a bit.

It has come to the attention of many—the media, government, economists and others—that buying things to the exclusion of making things is unsustainable. In many parts of the country, there is a grassroots movement building to accommodate the tinkerers of this generation.

Kids who were once drawn to shop class in school find many of those programs cut back or cut out. So what is a tinkering kind of kid to do?

Well, one example is taking root in Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s called Hive 13 and is a place designed to enable those interested in making things access to a space and digital technology to “make” making things viable.

It’s like an artist’s colony where creative people come together to share and produce works that are in their minds. Likewise, Hive 13 provides a similar venue for those wanting to take an idea and make it real.

It’s a place where a diverse community of makers and tinkerers collaborate in pursuit of creative projects. Collectively, they promote science, technology, open source values and skill sharing to the betterment of the Hive.

Click here to learn more about this initiative growing in Cincinnati. You may want to plant such a seed in your area.