Makespace Oxford - Truly affordable workspace in Central Oxford

11 Buildings reopened

1,553 Square metres secured

70 Organisations into spaces

105 Jobs created or supported

Servery at The Community Works

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makespaceoxford

It’s a big day for us

Makespace is (re

🎉 It’s a big day for us 🎊 Makespace is (re)founding! 📣 We are undergoing our biggest change since we launched Meanwhile in Oxfordshire! 🌱

We started by unlocking empty buildings, making space for community groups, creatives, and purpose-driven organisations to grow 🌳 But now, we’re working on a more ambitious vision.

We have big dreams for the future, building toward community ownership and greater systemic change within the land and property system for generations to come. We’ll be discussing it at Marmalade today but you’ll hear more from us about it in the coming months.

We know that the process of changing these kinds of systems is complicated. It’s deep, long term work that can't be done overnight, and definitely not alone 💪

But the answers to the problems in the system are right here, in our community. They just need the right conditions to be nurtured. We’re just one part of that process, helping to create the places and conditions for people to thrive.

We've been inspired by @peopledemcollective, @hastingscommons, @platformplaces, @stour_trust, @civic_square, @onion_collective, and others in our amazing network 🍄

#towardspatialjustice #communityownershipoxford #communityownershipoxfordshire

You can catch the latest exhibition at The Communi

You can catch the latest exhibition at The Community Works until 14th April. Through a mix of painting, collage, and multimedia pieces, this exhibition reflects the voices of women from different backgrounds, with a focus on Iraqi women’s experiences and their artistic journeys.

At the heart of this exhibition is a collaborative artwork by Rana Ibrahim, a collage artist and founder of @iraqi_women_art_war and Clare Davis, an English artist. This piece symbolises the friendship and creative exchange between Baghdad and Oxford, representing how art can bridge cultures and personal histories.

Other featured works include:

• Shaima al-Rawi, an Iraqi artist, whose paintings capture the essence of Baghdad and Iraq, reflecting her deep connection to her homeland.

• Lubna Mahmoud, an artist working with acrylic on paper, presents six striking works. Two of these depict Baghdad Square (Freedom Square) in black and white, while four others showcase Baghdadi Shanasheel (traditional wooden balconies), featuring vibrant depictions of women and colorful cityscapes.

• Touhida, a Bangladeshi artist and IWAW CIC member, presents a large acrylic and collage piece that portrays a breathtaking sunset scene, exploring themes of identity and belonging.

This exhibition is part of IWAW CIC’s Museum of Women, a long-term project dedicated to preserving and sharing the voices of displaced and underrepresented women through art.

We have private studio/office space available in C

We have private studio/office space available in Central Oxford right now. This room comes in at just under 15 square metres and would work for solo or shared occupancy. Priority is given to locally rooted, community-driven organisations with social or environmental change at their core, as well as artists, makers, and other creatives. Better yet, you'll be part of the amazing Makespace community, giving you a network of support that many of our residents find invaluable.

Please email info@makespaceoxford.org if you want more information or to come look around!

#studiospaceoxford #officespaceoxford #spacetorentoxford #makespaceoxford #oxfordartists #oxfordcreatives

The commons are shared resources — like land, wa

The commons are shared resources — like land, water, knowledge, or digital spaces — that communities collectively manage for mutual benefit. Commoning is the practice of stewarding these resources through cooperation, care, and equitable decision-making.

In a world driven by privatisation and inequality, commoning offers a radical alternative: a way to resist exploitation, reclaim collective power, and build just, sustainable futures. While we appreciate commoning in all forms, we're particularly interested in the collective ownership of buildings, providing affordable places for people to live, work, play, and create.

We'll be discussing the potential for an Oxfordshire commons and how that relates to spatial justice in our Marmalade panel next week.

✨ Towards Spatial Justice: Building the Oxfordshire Commons
📆 2nd April, 3:30-5:30pm
📍 Oxford Westgate Library, Oxford City Centre
🎟️ Free (donations welcome) via the link in our bio

Photos: our faces, Kay teaching about the history of the commons, Marmalade poster

#thecommons #commoning #spatialjustice #whatsonoxford #marmaladefestival #marmaladefestivaloxford #marmaladefestival2025

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