Artisan's Asylum
Artisan's Asylum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community makerspace in Boston operating a 52,000+ square foot campus with 17+ fabrication shops, serving individual makers, hobbyists, families, and entrepreneurs through memberships, classes, studio rentals, and workshops.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersSomerville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Artisan's Asylum does
Artisan's Asylum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community makerspace founded in May 2010 by Gui Cavalcanti, a former Boston Dynamics engineer, and currently operating a 52,000+ square foot campus across two buildings (Holton and Antwerp) in Allston-Brighton, Boston. The organization provides access to nearly 20 fully equipped fabrication shops spanning traditional crafts (woodworking, metalworking, jewelry, fiber arts) to digital fabrication (CNC plasma, laser cutting, ShopBot, digital design). It serves individual makers, hobbyists, families, lifelong learners, entrepreneurs, startups, and corporate clients through a diversified offering of memberships, day passes, classes and workshops, private studio rentals, tool testing and safety certification, gallery exhibitions, and facility rentals.
The business model blends recurring membership and class fees with one-time facility rentals, merchandise sales, class voucher gift certificates, and tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporate sponsors (Cummings Foundation, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, City of Boston). Marketing and distribution operate through the organization's website, email newsletter, Eventbrite community events, press coverage (including Adam Savage's Maker Tour), and partnerships with Harvard, Northeastern, Mass Cultural Council (Card to Culture program offering 75% discount to EBT/WIC/ConnectorCare cardholders), and other community organizations. Operationally, the organization runs with a small paid staff of approximately six (Executive Director Carol Ward, Operations Director Sal Mancini, and functional managers) supplemented by a volunteer-driven network of shop leads and a Board of Directors.
The organization has no disclosed venture funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no external equity ownership. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors with Co-Chairs Michael Mittelman and Jack de Valpine. The product ecosystem is designed to support makers across skill levels from beginner to professional, and the nonprofit accepts donations, gifts in kind, and corporate sponsorships as a core revenue stream alongside earned income from its educational and access-based services.
Artisan's Asylum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Artisan's Asylum
- Legal name
- Artisans Asylum
- Website
- https://artisansasylum.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Artisan's Asylum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community makerspace in Boston operating a 52,000+ square foot campus with 17+ fabrication shops, serving individual makers, hobbyists, families, and entrepreneurs through memberships, classes, studio rentals, and workshops.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Artisan's Asylum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Somerville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Artisan's Asylum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Memberships: Ongoing 24/7 access to the makerspace and its tools, shops, and shared workspaces for paying members.
- Classes & Workshops: Fee-based educational programming covering various fabrication disciplines, taught by instructors.
- Private Studios & Storage: Rental of dedicated studio workspaces and storage units for members requiring their own space.
- Facility Rentals & Events: Rental of classrooms, flexible teaching spaces, and open gathering areas for meetings, workshops, celebrations, and community events. Includes interactive making experiences.
- Tool Testing & Safety Training: Training and certification for members to safely operate specific tools and equipment.
- Merchandise Store: Sale of branded merchandise including mugs, hats, t-shirts, and hoodies.
- Donations & Fundraising: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals and corporate sponsorships supporting the nonprofit makerspace.
- Class Vouchers: Gift certificates for classes, allowing recipients to redeem for hands-on making experiences.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Donation tiers: Friend $50, Supporter $100, Sustainer $250, Ambassador $500, Visionary $1,000 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Artisan's Asylum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Artisan's Asylum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community makerspace in Boston, Massachusetts that operates a 52,000+ square-foot facility across two buildings housing 17 fully equipped fabrication shops. The organization provides individual and corporate members with access to woodworking, metalworking, electronics, textiles, 3D printing, laser cutting, and other fabrication tools, alongside classes, private studios, and facility rentals.
Product overview
Artisans Asylum is a nonprofit community makerspace in Boston offering a unified portfolio of hands-on making services. The core offering combines membership-based access to 17 fully equipped specialty shops and workshops with structured educational programming through classes, workshops, and private lessons. Supporting services include day passes for occasional access, private studio rentals for dedicated workspace needs, tool testing and safety training for equipment certification, gallery exhibition space, and facility/event rentals. The organization also offers class vouchers and branded merchandise as supplementary offerings. The product ecosystem is designed to support makers at every stage from beginner to professional, spanning disciplines from traditional crafts to digital fabrication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- A2: Common abbreviation for Artisans Asylum used throughout the website and community references.
Products and services
- Memberships Recurring access for individuals to the 52,000+ sq ft facility and its 17 fabrication shops, including use of woodworking, metalworking, electronics, textiles, 3D printing, and laser cutting equipment. Targeted at hobbyists, makers, and entrepreneurs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands of students participate annually in classes and workshops
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Artisan's Asylum
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Artisan's Asylum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Artisan's Asylum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Boston Children's MuseumminorCultural institution collaborating on programming and community engagement.
- BARC (Boston Artists Review Community)minorArtist community organization partnering with the makerspace.
- City of BostonminorMunicipal government partnership supporting community arts and maker initiatives.
- FabvilleminorFabrication-focused community organization.
- FORGE (Forge Impact)minorImpact-focused organization supporting maker communities and entrepreneurship.
- Harvard UniversityminorAcademic institution partnership through Harvard Education Portal for educational programming and outreach.
- Mass Cultural CouncilcoreState cultural council partnership through Card to Culture program, providing 75% discount on classes for EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders.
- Northeastern UniversityminorAcademic institution partnership for educational programming and student engagement.
- SCULminorCollaborative partner operating the Bike Shop within Artisans Asylum.
- Society of CraftsminorCraft-focused organization supporting traditional craft practices.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Artisan's Asylum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- All Hands Active: A nonprofit community makerspace in Ann Arbor, Michigan offering member access to tools, workshops, and classes across electronics, woodworking, textiles, and digital fabrication. Comparable as a member-supported, multi-disciplinary community workshop serving hobbyists and small businesses.
- NYC Resistor: A nonprofit community hackerspace/makerspace in Brooklyn offering classes, workshops, and shared access to fabrication tools (laser cutters, 3D printers, electronics). Directly comparable as an urban, membership-based, multi-disciplinary community makerspace serving makers, hobbyists, and entrepreneurs.
- Makespace: A community makerspace in Cambridge, UK offering member access to fabrication tools, classes, and studio space. Comparable as a member-funded multi-disciplinary makerspace with educational programming and shared workshop access.
- Community Forge: A nonprofit community makerspace in Wilkinsburg (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania providing fabrication tools, classes, and studio space. Comparable as a nonprofit, community-focused makerspace with educational programming and inclusive access initiatives.
- Nova Labs: A community makerspace in Reston, Virginia offering classes, workshops, and shared access to fabrication tools, electronics, and woodworking equipment. Comparable as a nonprofit, membership-driven makerspace with educational programming.
- Metrix Create:Space: A large community makerspace in Seattle offering member access to extensive fabrication tools, classes, and studio rentals. Comparable as a large-scale, membership-based, multi-disciplinary makerspace with classes and tool access across many disciplines.
- AS220: A nonprofit community arts and maker complex in Providence, Rhode Island providing affordable studios, fabrication shops, galleries, and educational programming. Directly comparable as a multi-building nonprofit creative community space with studios, fabrication facilities, and exhibition space.
- HeatSync Labs: A community makerspace/hackerspace in Mesa, Arizona providing shared access to fabrication tools, electronics workstations, and educational workshops. Comparable as a member-funded, multi-disciplinary community workshop with classes and shop access.
Broad incumbents
- TechShop (legacy/reruns): A now-closed for-profit chain of large-scale membership makerspaces that historically offered similar classes, memberships, and fabrication access. Relevant as a cautionary comparable illustrating the operational and capital risks of scaling a large-footprint makerspace model.
- Make Community: The operator of Make: Magazine and Maker Faire, providing media, events, and community programming for the broader maker movement. Comparable as the dominant ecosystem organizer in the maker space in which Artisans Asylum operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Artisan's Asylum social profiles
Digital presenceArtisan's Asylum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Artisan's Asylum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Artisan's Asylum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Artisan's Asylum M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Artisan's Asylum
What does Artisan's Asylum do?
Artisan's Asylum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community makerspace in Boston, Massachusetts that operates a 52,000+ square-foot facility across two buildings housing 17 fully equipped fabrication shops. The organization provides individual and corporate members with access to woodworking, metalworking, electronics, textiles, 3D printing, laser cutting, and other fabrication tools, alongside classes, private studios, and facility rentals.
Is Artisan's Asylum a public or private company?
Artisan's Asylum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Artisan's Asylum founded?
Artisan's Asylum was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Artisan's Asylum based?
Artisan's Asylum is headquartered in Somerville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Artisan's Asylum make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Memberships are the primary driver. The others are classes & Workshops, private Studios & Storage, facility Rentals & Events, tool Testing & Safety Training, merchandise Store, donations & Fundraising and class Vouchers.
Who are Artisan's Asylum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are All Hands Active, NYC Resistor, Makespace, Community Forge, Nova Labs, Metrix Create:Space, AS220 and HeatSync Labs. Broad incumbents are TechShop (legacy/reruns) and Make Community.
Does Artisan's Asylum have an API?
No public API is recorded for Artisan's Asylum.