Organizer Information
make-a-thek is an EU-funded project bringing together nine international partners to develop modular, replicable makerspaces within public libraries. The project focuses on circular fashion, traditional crafts, digital technologies, and community knowledge-sharing, with activities inspired by the New European Bauhaus values of sustainability, inclusivity, and beauty. Supported by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, make-a-thek runs until January 2028 and pilots its model across European and international libraries. The open call is coordinated by Fab Lab Barcelona at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) with support from the project partners.
Title & Description
Mobility & Knowledge Open Call — make-a-thek
The Mobility & Knowledge Open Call offers two participation tracks for practitioners interested in sharing or developing knowledge around creative making, crafts, fashion, and technology.
Track A – Mobility Scheme is intended for experienced practitioners, craftspeople, fashion professionals, makers, and “make-a-thek Experts.” Selected participants travel to a participating pilot location to deliver a workshop, talk, or hands-on training.
Track B – Knowledge Exchange Programme is designed for practitioners, makers, craftspeople, library staff, and creative minds who want to learn from other makerspaces and bring new knowledge back to their communities through a local sharing activity.
Both tracks are connected to three thematic areas: Circular Fashion, Digitising Traditional Crafts, and Open Technologies.
Categories
- Crafts
- Textile Art
- Fashion
- Design
- Digital Art & Technology
- Makerspaces
- Traditional Crafts
- Sustainable Art & Design
- Community Art
- Open Technology.
Eligibility
Applicants must be legal residents of an EU Member State, a Horizon Europe associated country, or one of the participating international pilot countries: Ghana, South Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, or Chile.
Track A is aimed at experienced practitioners with technical knowledge they can share. Track B is open to learners and practitioners interested in acquiring new skills and exchanging knowledge. Applicants should align their experience or proposal with at least one of the three programme themes. Perfect English proficiency is not required.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Track A: €1,000 flat stipend covering travel, accommodation, materials, and time.
- Track B: €850 flat stipend covering travel, accommodation, and participation costs.
- International knowledge exchange and networking.
- Track A participants deliver a workshop, talk, or training at a host location.
- Track B participants attend a two-day in-person knowledge exchange and develop a local sharing activity.
- Selected participants may be featured in a Community Learning Journey case study.
- Workshop guides and educational materials developed through the programme become open resources under CC-BY-SA 4.0.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Early-bird Deadline: 15 September 2026
- Late application Deadline: 1 December 2026
- Track B, Cohort 1: Barcelona, between late November and early December 2026
- Track B, Cohort 2: Berlin, in connection with re:publica, May 9–13, 2027
- Next call: February 1–March 31, 2027, with 12 additional places.
Location
Track A: Participating pilot locations include Antwerp, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Helsinki, Kranj, Milan, Opole, Reykjavík, Kyiv, and Zaporizhzhia.
Track B: Barcelona in 2026 and Berlin in 2027
Additional Details
Up to 12 participants per track are supported this year. Selected applicants must confirm participation within two weeks. Track A participants must complete an experience report within one month after their trip; Track B participants must additionally organise a knowledge-sharing activity for at least six people in their local community. Participants are responsible for applicable taxes and must follow the programme's open-licensing, media-release, and visibility requirements.