The MakerLab and Brandeis Arts Engagement recently launched the Brandeis Art Exchange, where students can use and donate items for creative projects, contained in a small structure outside of the Usdan Student Center. The structure is modeled after the Little Free Library program, which is an initiative originating from the Little Free Library nonprofit organization seeking to promote access to reading across communities. 

Director for Research Technology and Innovation Ian Roy shared the mission of the Brandeis Art Exchange in an interview with The Brandeis Hoot, saying, “The Brandeis Art Exchange is a place to exchange arts and crafts materials to encourage art-making, collaboration and experimentation by the Brandeis community.” Director of Arts Engagement Ingrid Schorr added that another purpose of the program is to “make it easy and fun to experiment with art in a spontaneous way.”

The Brandeis Art Exchange reflects values from both the MakerLab and Brandeis Arts Engagement. The MakerLab seeks to promote broad access to resources and mentorship for innovative technological projects. According to the MakerLab website, “The MakerLab enjoys very broad involvement from the Brandeis community, including students, faculty researchers, and staff members.” The Brandeis Arts Engagement department is part of the Division of Creative Arts and advocates for campus community participation in the arts. According to the Arts Engagement website, “Brandeis Arts Engagement is a central resource for the arts at Brandeis. We connect people to each other and to creative resources across the university.”