Rep. Kuster touring the grand opening of the Claremont MakerSpace

A high resolution version of the photo is available here.  

(Claremont, NH) - Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) joined Senator Maggie Hassan, Claremont city officials, and TwinState MakerSpaces leadership for the grand opening of the TwinState MakerSpace in Claremont, located at the Sawtooth Building. The Space received a $250,000 grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission in 2015, which Kuster worked to support. The mission of TwinState MakerSpaces is to encourage creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and to empower users with the resources to learn new crafts, explore new technologies, and put form to their ideas. The facility in Claremont, which is joining a growing number of MakerSpaces across the country, offers conventional and hi-tech tools, communal workspace, rentable studio space, training in equipment use and techniques, and events focused on the arts, manufacturing, technology, and entrepreneurship. Kuster is a co-sponsor of the More MakerSpaces Act, which would put in place guidelines for how a federal agency would lease or sell an unused property to be used as a MakerSpace and communicate the potential for MakerSpaces in federal properties.

“The opening of Claremont MakerSpace is great news for the workforce, economy, and entire Claremont community,” said Kuster. “This important creative hub will foster entrepreneurship and provide resources to members, enabling them to enhance their skills and participate in an independent and creative community. From artists to architects, potters to photographers, cabinet makers to computer engineers and beyond, everyone who works here will benefit from the communication and collaboration the community offers. It is truly a wonderful facility, and it will benefit the people of our state for years to come.”

In May, Kuster released her Jobs and Opportunity Agenda, which outlines a comprehensive approach to expanding economic opportunity by bolstering apprenticeship and vocational training programs, addressing the out of control costs of higher education, investing in infrastructure and broadband expansion,  increasing affordable housing, and supporting working families with paid family leave and childcare programs.

Kuster was joined by US Senator Maggie Hassan; State Senator Martha Hennessey, Charlene Lovett, Claremont City Mayor; Ryan McNutt, Claremont City Manager; Josh Bushueff, Assistant Director of TwinState MakerSpaces, and Jeremy Katz and Steve Goldsmith, co-founders of TwinState MakerSpaces.

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