make-a-thek Bus arrives in Cantabria to connect making, repair and local communities
Press Release make-a-thek
Matty the make-a-thek Bus sets off on its third journey
After two journeys through Germany, Czechia, Poland and the Baltic States, the make-a-thek Bus is hitting the road again. From 29 October to 16 November 2026, Matty will travel through Catalonia, Southern France, Cantabria, Asturias and Portugal, bringing circular making, creative technologies and hands-on workshops to libraries, makerspaces and local communities.
On the road through Southern Europe
The tour begins at Fab Lab Barcelona before crossing into Southern France and continuing along the northern coast of Spain. From Cantabria and Asturias, Matty will travel to Portugal before heading back through Spain to Cuenca and finally returning to Barcelona.
Along the route, the make-a-thek Bus will stop at libraries, fab labs, community spaces and other local partners. Equipped with tools, machines and workshop materials, Matty will offer hands-on activities around circular fashion, repair and creative technologies, creating spaces for people to make, learn and exchange.
The tour will also create opportunities to connect with local makers and organisations, discover regional practices, and exchange knowledge, materials and ideas. In this way, each stop adds new perspectives and experiences to the wider make-a-thek network.
The journey includes stops at Fab Lab Barcelona, Rose Lab in Toulouse, Public Library / Casa de Cultura in Colindres, La Escuelina in Santo Adriano, Covilhã Public Library, Science Museum of Castilla La Mancha in Cuenca, and Fab Lab Cuenca.
Follow the journey on Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for updates, videos and impressions from the road.
What is make-a-thek?
make-a-thek is a European Horizon project developing modular, replicable makerspaces in public libraries, focused on fashion and crafts. It promotes open access to circular design through community co-creation, combining heritage skills with digital tools.
Piloted across Europe and beyond, the project aims to:
empower a new generation of sustainable makers and prosumers
position libraries as hubs for circular innovation and learning
preserve heritage crafts through digital technologies
foster local collaboration and sustainable creativity
All tools, concepts, and materials are open source, enabling easy adoption by libraries and community spaces.
About the project network
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, European Crafts Alliance, Fab City Foundation, and the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia / Fab Lab Barcelona.
Follow the journey on YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn for updates, videos, and impressions from the road.
More information: makeathek.eu
Instagram: @makeathek
LinkedIn: @make-a-thek
Contact: jessica.guy@iaac.net/ www.makeathek.eu/#contact