As a not-for profit Community Interest Company, based in Widnes, MakoDigital Arts’ aim is to provide FREE, fun, exciting digital arts, media and technology workshops for the people of Halton and beyond. 

We want to get people using technology for things other than just social media and gaming, by educating them in a fun way about some of the many other things they can use technology for… So, we’ve worked really hard to secure funding so that we could offer digital arts, media and technology workshops for free.

In October 2018 we were really fortunate to have secured funding from Big Lottery Fund, to run ‘Switched ON’ workshops for young people in Widnes and Runcorn. The workshops were sold out in less than 24 hours, with a huge waiting list, showing just how popular these workshops are and just how much we need them for young people in Halton. The workshops ran each week with them concluding in mid January. 

The young people made some amazing creations throughout the workshops including:

  • Digital Music Making

  • Computer Game Design

  • Stop Motion Animation

  • Microbit Coding

  • Emoji Pin Badge Design

  • Green Screen Christmas Cards

  • Code-A-Drone

We held special celebration events in Widnes and Runcorn for the young people to showcase their incredible work to their friends and families. The events were fantastic, with each young person awarded a certificate and amazon voucher to reward them for making the project such a huge success. As a result of taking part in these workshops many of the young people have now decided that they would like a job in the technology industry in the future. We want to congratulate all of the participants for creating some spectacular digital creations and for making this project so rewarding and enjoyable. We also want to thank Big Lottery Fund for making this project possible for the young people of Halton.

Contact MakoDigital Arts CIC

All of the young people who take part really enjoy our workshops and are keen for us to offer more. In order for us to do this we desperately need more funding, so we would like to invite local people or businesses to sponsor/make donations towards future workshops. 0151 345 1419 info@digitalartsbox.org
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Two men are interacting during a digital workshop. One man, seated and wearing a dark blue jumper, holds a digital pen. The other man, standing and wearing a light blue "Digital Arts Box" t-shirt, leans over with an iPad in hand, demonstrating something on the screen, which is facing away from the camera.
What first drew you to attend one of our workshops, and what do you remember most about that experience as a young person?

 

The first time I joined a session was when I was invited to take part in The Big Music Project. It was a collaboration between The Studio and Mako Create, and I was part of a group of young people taking part. I remember being blown away by how much we got to do. It was actually the first time I’d ever used an iPad! I left that first session really excited about what technology could do. I even came home and told my 7-year-old brother that as soon as he was old enough, I’d be signing him up too. I eventually did, mainly so I could go with him and fly drones!

 

In what ways do you think taking part in the workshops influenced your confidence, skills, or direction at that time in your life?

 

Those early sessions definitely helped build my confidence. As part of The Big Music Project, I got the chance to perform some of my songs at an event and even interview other artists who were performing. I loved it. We also got to go on a trip to London, which sparked my interest in travelling and exploring new places.

How did your journey from participant to team member unfold, and what does it mean to you now to be delivering workshops yourself?

 

After watching Mako Create and Digital Arts Box grow over the years, I was always really motivated to work with them. So when the opportunity came up, I didn’t hesitate. I’d always been impressed by how fun the sessions looked, and I was curious about what went on behind the scenes. Now that I’m part of the team delivering those workshops, it means a lot to be able to give young people the same kind of experience that meant so much to me.

James’s story is a brilliant example of how creative tech programmes can open doors. What started as a fun workshop experience has grown into a career helping others discover their own potential.

We hope his journey inspires other young people to explore creative technology and maybe even return one day to lead workshops of their own!

 

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