Held in a little, quaint passenger railroad car on Orange Street near downtown Chico, the Makers Cafe is a free monthly event that fosters creativity and community.
Attendees are provided an inclusive space with art supplies, and encouraged to let creativity take its form.
Creator Tatiana Allen has provided the tools and time to make it happen.
“The event is centered around helping people develop a sense of self and consciousness of the greater world,” Allen said.
A guided activity kicks off the event for those who prefer a more structured art experience. This is followed by three hours of unstructured time.
"I really feel like my main purpose is to give them an opportunity to be creative without the barriers of going out and buying supplies," Allen said.
There’s also an open mic where attendees can showcase not just their drawing or painting skills, but their musical, poetic, or comedic talent as well.
Content Creator Melissa Laurie helps Allen with the gathering and provides free drinks, including hot chocolate.
“Part of [what] makes it fun is trying to take this maybe weird, silly idea that we have, what if we were just cozy on a train with music and supplies and treats and everything was free,” Laurie said.
Allen says the event comes after six years of her working to create spaces for artists, especially amid life-altering events like the Camp Fire and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is a need for people to be able to access supplies, to be creative, for musicians to play and share their passion and commune with other fellow artists,” Allen said.
With the Camp Fire, many artists were forced out of their comfort zones and into the harsh reality of losing their homes and art studios. Then, the pandemic happened, and the world shut down.
"There was no longer a space for us as artists to go and show our work, galleries were closed, there was no longer a space for us to sell our work ... there was no longer a space for musicians to play live shows," Allen said. "So there was a lot of anxiety and depression that was going around in our local artist community."
Noticing the changes in the art landscape over the years, Allen continued championing the arts, including creating past events like the Flume Street Fair and providing studio space for artists.
All these roads led to the creation of The Makers Cafe.
She decided to reach out to the Chico Arts Center to pitch the idea of a pop up and created a proposal. With their help, along with her mother’s, Allen gathered the funds needed.
“I was really grateful that the Chico Art Center was willing to be the fiscal receivable receiver and apply with me, and grateful to the City of Chico Arts Grant Program to provide this funding,” Allen said. “The funding has been a really amazing thing for me, because it really showed me that people care not only about providing access to the arts.”
Allen wants people to discover a sense of connection and support. She strongly believes that art fosters wellness. Since many individuals struggle with mental health, Allen's primary goal for most of their endeavors is to provide mental health support.
“It's been a really neat way to allow people to share parts of their lives, but also to channel it in a really healthy and creative way, versus maybe a way that you know just kind of goes up into the ether,” Allen said.
