Makers Gotta Make is a love letter to Portland’s creative culture, and poses questions about how cities can protect the communities that make them vibrant.

A black-and-white image of a hand holding a hammer, with the background in black and the hand in white with a stippled texture.
A black-and-white image of a hand holding a hammer, with the background in black and the hand in white with a stippled texture.
A black and white stylized image of a rose in a square frame.
Black and white artistic rendering of a hand holding a camera.
Collage of five images showing diverse workers engaged in different crafts and trades: a woman pouring a substance, a woman working with woodworking tools, a man grinding metal with sparks flying, a hand measuring wood, and a woman operating a bandsaw.

About the film

In Portland, Oregon, a community of artists and entrepreneurs came together and transformed abandoned industrial warehouses into a thriving maker economy that captured international attention.

At the center of this creative explosion is ADX, a collaborative hub where artists, makers, and small businesses came together to share tools, ideas, and space.

But as rising rents, development pressure, and a pandemic reshape the city, the creators who built Portland’s identity are pushed to the margins.

Makers Gotta Make: Creativity, Community and Connection is a love letter to Portland’s creative culture, and poses a question about whether cities can protect the communities that make them vibrant.

Support the film!

We are currently in production, filming interviews and creating a rough cut of the feature film. We’re also working with photos and footage from the archives of Portland makers, PDX Pop Now!, Bike Portland, the Oregon Historical Society, and ADX.

Follow us on Instagram @makersgottamakefilm signup for our newsletter using the form at the bottom of the page, and support the film using the donate button below.

Want to learn more?

Contact us at hello@makersgottamakefilm.com

A woman wearing a striped orange and black long sleeve shirt and a black vest with 'Oregon' written on it, is sitting on a stool, focused on pottery she is shaping on a wheel in a ceramics studio.
A person wearing safety gear uses a grinder on a piece of metal, producing sparks in a workshop.
Woman sitting on a red stool amidst a fabric shop with shelves of colorful fabrics on the right and various sewing tools and plants on the left. She wears denim overalls and sandals.