Category: funding

Dinky OSC – First Post!

We’ve been funded by Creative Scotland to explore the creation of a prototype “Dinky OSC” device to use with Sonic Pi

Hello! We’re so happy to be writing this post!

We had a tough 2020, with all of our (much loved) STEAM workshops cancelled due to #Covid19 – Everyone’s offering free online “how to” videos so we (Digital Maker CIC) needed to develop something to support our business while we wait for the ability to “run workshops physically” gets back to some sense of normality.

One of our most successful workshops so far (for WOW factor, creativity, ‘lightbulb’ moments) has been using Sam Aaron’s Sonic Pi – so we thought about making something that not only supports learners using Sonic Pi – but even advanced users, (musicians!) with an external OSC (“open sound control”) device. A small interface that can be programmed (or used “out the box”) to manipulate parameters in Sonic Pi “Real Time”.

We applied to Creative Scotland’s Open Fund: Sustaining Creative Development & have been successful in securing funding to develop our idea…

Our mission is to create a small, affordable OSC unit that is easy to use and helpful when creating music with Sonic Pi.

We will keep you posted through this blog on our journey.

Phil.

Big Lottery funded DM CIC workshops start in Peterhead

We have been fortunate to be awarded a Big Lottery grant for 5 Driverless Car workshops in the North East of Scotland! We have arranged with Peterhead Academy & Inverurie Academy to start this term, Peterhead have an Afterschool Club for S2+ and We’ll be working with the Inverurie S3 Engineering class.

We’re running the Driverless Car workshop we piloted with Northfield Academy & Transition Extreme after school clubs (funded by ACC’s U-decide (participatory Budgeting)) – so a five week course, introducing the concepts of Machine Learning & Driverless Car technology.

Week one is always relaxed, fun & creative, with the teams creating their car chassis, camera mounts and raspberry pi placements. The Peterhead pupils were fantastic, engaged, entertained, interested, enthusiastic and inquisitive, all the attributes we love to see in innovators of tomorrow!

Below are a few photos from tonight’s session, we look forward to working with the class for the next 4 weeks!

If you’d like to know more about the Driverless Car workshop, want to get us into your school, or have any other questions about our STEAM activity, do email us! we’re getting busy!

Big thanks to the Big Lottery funding, it’s been invaluable! A lot of kids that wouldn’t usually get this type of STEAM education are now, thanks to this funding.

Digital Maker CIC win major funding & support from FirstPort Scotland.

Digital Maker CIC has won £25,000 funding from FirstPort Scotland to boost their business, providing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Mathematics) education to Aberdeen Schools.

Set up in 2017, Digital Maker CIC’s mission was to get high quality STEAM education to pupils that don’t usually have access to the technology, expertise & opportunities. Digital Maker CIC have had a phenomenal first year of business, working for the Prince’s Trust, Edinburgh & Abu Dhabi Science Festivals and Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire councils’ Schools impressing FirstPort with their work and passion to get exciting STEAM education to pupils that don’t usually have access to it.

“This funding is going to help Digital Maker CIC a great deal” said Martin Evans, Director and lead tutor, “It gives us funding to develop new workshops & curriculums, and offer our services to underfunded areas in need of STEAM education”. Philip Thompson, also a director and lead tutor for Digital Maker CIC  said “It’s also given us a confidence boost, FirstPort were really excited about what we’re doing & see the benefits of our work for pupils that don’t have the kinds of opportunities we offer, we can really contribute to the Scottish Government’s plans to get Scottish School Pupils digitally savvy & turned on to STEAM opportunities”.

With the FirstPort funding, Digital Maker CIC are in a strong position to expand their business and provide more high quality STEAM education in Aberdeen and beyond.