Media Arts Collective + Resource Exchange
Media Arts Collective + Resource Exchange
We are MACRE Ithaca!
Located at 415 N. Tioga St. in downtown Ithaca, Media Arts Collective + Resource Exchange [MACRE] (pronounced "maker") is a "third space" for sustained creative work, play, and community skill-building. Since opening in June 2025, we have established a downtown hub where art, engineering, and the humanities intersect.
MACRE functions as an ecosystem for creatives, organizers and community advocates to practice their craft, dismantling traditional barriers to creative tools and resources.
- The Incubator: Our Artist-in-Incubator residency provides emerging creators with dedicated studio space, technical mentorship, and resources to develop new work while practicing collective stewardship.
- Media Arts Education: Through our Classroom-to-Community pilot with New Roots Charter School, we facilitate an apprenticeship model where students master media production skills as junior staff.
- StudioLab: We serve as the home for StudioLab, a transmedia platform dedicated to social justice-oriented storytelling and transformative justice.
- Community Exchange: Our space is a vibrant site for workshops, live music, and an annual block party. We also provide a vital meeting space for local groups to organize.
Community Partners
We work in collaboration with local organizations to share resources and expand our reach:
- Finger Lakes ReUse: We maintain an active production partnership to document and visualize regional material diversion and the community impacts of reuse.
- Village at Ithaca: We collaborate on workforce development, including hosting young people as employees to foster professional growth in the media arts.
Join the Ecosystem
Sustainability for MACRE comes from our Supporting Members. You can support the collective monetarily through Patreon and follow our updates via Substack. Access to specific residency resources or studio space is managed through an application process to maintain a collaborative, resource-sharing environment.
What We Currently Offer
MACRE offers various community-based services and mentorship.
Membership-Based Work Space
Join a vibrant, creative community with access to shared workspaces designed for artists, makers, and innovators. Our flexible membership options support both short-term projects and long-term growth.
Exhibition and Workshop
Showcase your work or attend inspiring exhibitions featuring diverse artists and mediums. We also host hands-on workshops where you can learn, share, and connect with others
Artist-in-Incubator
Our incubator program supports emerging artists with mentorship, resources, and dedicated studio time. It’s a launchpad for developing your practice and growing your career.
Education Service / Consultant/ Mentorship
We don't just offer classes; we build pathways for people to enter the media arts through hands-on practice. Our partnership with New Roots Charter School serves as a model for this—moving beyond the classroom to host students as junior media staff. Whether it's through portfolio development, creative strategy, or direct mentorship, we provide the tools and technical guidance for community members to master their craft by working on real-world projects.
Equipment and Space Rental
Need tools or a space to bring your project to life? We offer affordable rentals for equipment, studios, and event spaces tailored to creative work.
PARTNERSHIPS
Through active partnerships with local organizations, educators, and artists, we are building a vibrant, interconnected network that shares resources, space, and a collective vision rooted in equity, creativity, and a deep sense of belonging.
PhotoSynthesis Productions
PhotoSynthesis Productions (PSP)—founded in 1980—is our anchor partner and co-producer. PSP provides MACRE with its physical home, a fully equipped film studio, and access to professional-grade video gear, editing software, and production mentorship. With PSP’s infrastructure and support, MACRE members are able to initiate, develop, and complete ambitious projects that would otherwise be out of reach.
The Village at Ithaca
The Village at Ithaca, We collaborate with the Village at Ithaca to create professional pathways for young people in our community. This partnership is built on a workforce development model where we host youth employees as Creative Apprentices. By joining our crew, they gain direct access to production tools and technical mentorship while contributing to professional projects.
StudioLab
StudioLab at Cornell University, directed by artist-scholar Jon McKenzie, is another vital partner. In April 2025, MACRE hosted StudioLab’s Comics, Posters PAR+D exhibition, showcasing transmedia knowledge work by first-year Cornell students. These projects used creative media to tackle complex issues like AI, climate justice, and geopolitical conflict. We plan to co-host future exhibitions and events that integrate research, community storytelling, and design-based learning.
