make-a-thek is launching a mobile makerspace bus that will travel across Europe, offering hands-on workshops in circular fashion, repair, and creative technologies. The initiative builds on earlier pilot activities in public libraries and now expands its reach to towns and rural areas.
European Bus Tour
Fully equipped with tools, machines, and workshop materials, the bus will host practical sessions, demonstrations, and other activities along its route.
The tour begins at re:publica in Berlin from 18 to 20 May 2026, where visitors can explore the bus and take part in introductory activities.
From there, it will travel across:
- Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic (May–June)
- The Baltic States (August–September)
- Northern Spain and Portugal (October–November)
At each stop, the focus will be on practical, accessible learning, such as repairing garments, experimenting with materials, and working with both traditional craft techniques and digital tools.
Workshops in Libraries Across Europe
In parallel, pilot workshops are already taking place in libraries in cities including Antwerp, Barcelona, Helsinki, Milan, Kyiv, and Reykjavík.
These range from established makerspaces expanding into circular design to newly developed workshop formats. One recent example from Reykjavík focused on reusing old socks to create new textile structures, combining simple techniques with experimental making.
make-a-thek
make-a-thek is implemented by a consortium of nine European partner organizations, including Centre for Social Innovation, Global Innovation Gathering, Fashion Revolution Germany, OpenDot, Public Libraries 2030, Ukrainian Maker Association, Fab City Foundation, and the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia / Fab Lab Barcelona, and the ECA.