Grant: Applied Research Tools and Instruments Grants

Aurora College is opening the Arts, Crafts, & Technology Micro-Manufacturing Centre (ACTMC) in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, in January 2019, and has applied for a NSERC Technology Access Centre Grant to fund this initiative. The ACTMC will provide space, equipment, and technical support as fee-for-service to local businesses focused on the development of cultural products for sale. These businesses, typically local artists and craftspeople operating as sole proprietorships, will be working with the college on applied research questions of safety, tooling, and methods for the use of traditional materials (for example, bone and antler) with micro-manufacturing equipment. Aurora College developed this centre to provide needed facilities and services after developing the Merging Arts & Crafts with Technology & Manufacturing course, which trained regional artists and craftspeople in Adobe Illustrator and 3D modelling software and in the use of 3D printers, milling machines, laser engravers, and silk screening to produce market-ready products. *The equipment requested in this proposal will add new technologies to Aurora College's inventory for research into traditional materials use, and will address bottlenecks with existing equipment that is in use at the college.*