makers united is an international participation and innovation festival for everyone who not only wants to look at the future, but also wants to try it out, build and help shape it.
The makers united brings together a workshop, laboratory, classroom, studio and stage. Small objects, big aha moments and conversations about technology, creativity and the future of the region are created at the stands.
01
Tools in hand.
Here you don't just show things, you try them out: box lids become camping stools, glasses get their own engravings, metal is processed, circuits are soldered and personal, unique pieces are created from simple materials.
Wood & MetalSolderingEngravingWorkshop
02
The school day becomes a project day.
At Young Makers Day, school classes discover technology and design in compact workshops: from Calliope challenges and robotics courses to upcycling, textiles, energy experiments and creative material samples.
school classesWorkshopsSTEAM
03
Tradition meets future
Lace-making with laser-cut frames, weaving alongside 3D printing, Kintsugi alongside recycled materials: many offerings combine old crafts with new tools and sustainable ideas.
UpcyclingTextileCraft
04
Robotics, coding, data
Mini vehicles follow programmed routes, learning robots react to codes, drones and sensors show how software becomes movement. Digital sovereignty and open technology also have space.
RoboticsCodingOpen Tech
05
Experience with all your senses
Movement becomes music, an apple provides electricity, smoke rings fly through the air and a bicycle simulator makes performance visible. Technology becomes understandable because you can feel it.
soundEnergyExperiment
Exhibitors & Offers
Everyone included. Lots of ways in.
The exhibitors are sorted by offerings: This makes it easy to see which workshops, experiments and hands-on stations await you and who is designing them on site.
Highlight project
FUNKEN Akademie
The FUNKEN Akademie is a platform for the interaction of art and technology. In FUNKEN Pilot, artists and technology companies from Saxony work together in tandems: for one day, with material from the companies' everyday work. At makers united they will show the results from the day before: physical future models on a scale of 1:100, gathered in a shared “museum for potential futures”.
FUNKEN AkademieArt + TechnologyMuseum for potential futures
International & Residence
Kintsugi, upcycling, robotics, material experiments and perspectives from international makerspaces meet local workshops and the Maker Residence.
Aki Tagawa with KyutoryuARRSA - Regional Development Agency in Bielsko-BiałaBUQSCO-SAKU Robotics/Shimokita FAB CO-SAKU SpaceKulturwerk Schneeberg e. V.Sternenlabor e.V.XCenterauf weiter flur e.V.
Workshop & crafts
Wood, metal, casting, mold making and traditional tools can be experienced practically: visitors build, design, engrave, cast and test their own objects.
Robots drive, fight, follow lines or are created directly in the workshop. There are also open technology, coding challenges, 3D printing, Linux, sensor technology and digital participation.
CADA - Chemnitz Automated Driving AllianceCaznic Xi Open Source StaubsaugerChaos Computer Club ChemnitzCircuit Smash ChemnitzComputertruhe ChemnitzOliver Zeigermann - Ein Roboter für jeden SchülerErzLabFORTIS-AKADEMIEKolorit e.V. / Mentor SpotLandesverband Sächsischer Jugendbildungswerke - LJBW e.V.PiRad & QuakeRobotKids / Forum für Kultur und BildungStadtbibliothek ChemnitzTU Chemnitz, Fakultät ET/ITWerkstatt im Kinderzimmer
Energy, mobility & science
Wind power, electricity from apples, bicycle sensors, rail and vehicle technology, electrical engineering and smart prototypes make science tangible.
Duale Hochschule Sachsen DHSN Glauchauenvia Mitteldeutsche Energie AGHochschule MittweidaKOOLEST Solutions GmbH / Projekt PraktikalMotionComposer GmbHMuseum für sächsische Fahrzeuge Chemnitz e.V.Rail.S e. V.Siemens AGSmart Rail Connectivity Campus (SRCC) e.V.solaris FZU gGmbH / VDE BV Chemnitz e.V.WaveSurfer
Education, media & network
The STEAM lounge, media activities, design awards and learning games create points of contact for schools, families, teachers, companies and the creative industries.
CLARO! MINT KoordinationsstelleFreie Presse MediengruppeSilicon Saxony e. V.SIS Sächsisches Institut für Spiel
Information for exhibitors
Hands-on booth, Young Makers Day and festival operation.
Exhibitors at makers united don't just bring a presentation, but an active offer: build, test, experiment, explain and talk directly to visitors. This is exactly how special contact is created with families, teachers, students, developers and future skilled professionals.
Note Registration to participate as an exhibitor was possible until May 29, 2026. Unfortunately, no further registrations can be processed for 2026.
Young Makers Day
Friday, June 26th, 2026, 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.: School classes discover compact workshops of 45-50 minutes on practice, technology and creativity in small groups.
Festival Saturday
Saturday, 27 June 2026: The Stadthalle is open for the public festival. Offers where visitors become active themselves are especially strong.
Costs
Non-commercial exhibitors take part free of charge. Stand fees may apply for commercial exhibitors; Details will be coordinated directly.
Why participate?
Exhibitors impart know-how at a low threshold, show real practice and reach young talent, families, schools and the regional maker community.
Setup and dismantling
Young Makers Day Setup: Thu June 25th, 2026, 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. or Fri June 26th, 2026, 6:00 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.
Young Makers Day Dismantling: Fri June 26, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Setup for Saturday: Fri 26/06/2026, 14:00–16:00 or Sat 27/06/2026, 06:00–09:30.
Dismantling on Saturday: 18:00–20:00. If anything still needs to be picked up on Monday, please contact us directly.
2026 program
Two days. A festival full of ideas.
Friday belongs to school classes; on Saturday, the Stadthalle opens to everyone. In between: workshops, demonstrations, open workshops, experiments and encounters with makers from Chemnitz, Saxony and beyond.
26
Young Makers Day
Friday is reserved for school classes. In small groups, participants build, code, design and explore. Ideal for anyone who wants not only to explain STEAM, crafts and creativity, but to experience them.
27
Opening makers united
The public festival opens at 10 a.m. Visitors can move freely through the Stadthalle, discover stands, ask questions and take part directly at many stations.
10:15
Young Maker University
The knowledge format for young explorers brings big questions to the stage. 2026 with Simón Albers, known from Woozle Goozle.
18
Festival, network, experiments
The full program runs until 6 p.m.: robot arena, textile workshop, energy experiments, media and coding stations, crafts, design, advice and open discussions with the maker community.
Young Maker University
Simón Albers further asks: Why?
Young Maker University is coming to Chemnitz in 2026 with Simón Albers. Many people know him from Woozle Goozle; at makers united, he brings his curiosity, knowledge and joy in surprising explanations to the stage.
Even as a child, “Why” was Simón’s favorite word. He wanted to have an explanation for everything and this curiosity remained. After studying sports science, English and psychology in Kiel, his path as a presenter and editor led him to SUPER RTL on formats such as 1LIVE and WDR.
To this day, his focus is on sharing knowledge and discovering new things. At Young Maker University, Simón shares his curiosity with the audience and will certainly learn a thing or two himself at the Stadthalle.
TOGGOknown from Woozle GoozleKnowledge liveSaturday · from 10:15
Simón AlbersKnowledge, questions and trying things out on stage
For whom?
Everyone finds their own way in. Everyone takes part.
Whether it's a family outing, a project day, an exhibitor stand or a partnership: the makers united is open to people who are curious, want to share knowledge or inspire young talent for technology and design.
Visitors
Come by, try out the stations and take ideas home with you: from a self-designed trailer to a programmed robot, from a vintage car selfie to your own little circuit.
Admission on Saturday remains, thanks to the support of Community4you AG and Auprotec free of charge.
Bring your workshop, your experiment or your educational station to the festival. Offers where visitors can build, test, ask questions and take something with them are particularly strong.
View informationNote Registration as an exhibitor is closed for 2026.
school classes
The Young Makers Day makes career orientation and future skills practical: short distances, fixed time windows and offers that work even without prior knowledge.
Participation for school classes also remains free thanks to Community4you AG and Auprotec.
Note School classes can no longer apply for this year.
Supporters
Partners help to make workshops, educational formats and international maker experiences visible. This is how a festival becomes a network for young talent, innovation and urban society.
Anyone who supports Maker e.V. strengthens an international maker culture with Saxony at its heart: engineers, scientists, artists, craftsmen, schools, universities, companies and makerspaces come together to learn practically, develop and make innovation visible.
makers united is an environment for credible employer branding, educational commitment, CSR and ESG communication. Contact is not established through abstract advertising spaces, but rather through hands-on experiences, workshops, challenges and direct conversations with technology-savvy makers, early tool adopters, teachers, students, developers and future skilled professionals.
Maker e.V. maintains contacts with makerspaces, educational partners, companies, universities and international organizations all year round.
Effect
Support flows into educational offerings, exchange formats, residencies, festival offerings and the development of a viable maker ecosystem.
Target groups
It reaches families, school classes, teachers, students, developers, creative people, companies and young people with an interest in future technologies.
Content
Real projects create strong stories, photos and videos with people, machines, prototypes and visible learning moments.
Cooperation
Support is possible in the form of sponsorship, contributions in kind, network contributions, workshops or project partnerships. The most sensible thing to do is to have a direct conversation about goals, visibility and appropriate contributions.
“I can only support this […] because community4you believes that the future lies in imparting knowledge to our children and young people […] so that Chemnitz becomes a city that attracts many young people.”
Uwe Bauch, Vorstandsvorsitzender der community4you AG und Geschäftsführer von Auprotec
“Here we inspire and enthuse tomorrow’s skilled professionals!”
Katrin Hoffmann, Geschäftsführerin des Industrievereins Sachsen und Vorstandsvorsitzende des Maker e.V.
SAXONY!visit
Making Makerspaces
From June 25th to 27th, 2026, Making Makerspaces will bring international guests, decision-makers, start-ups, companies and makerspace operators to Saxony. The focus is on open workshops, creative ecosystems, sustainable financing and cross-innovation.
The program combines visits to Dresden, Leipzig and the Chemnitz region with networking, practical locations and an international symposium during makers united.
25th-27th June 2026SaxonyParticipation free of chargeRegistration required
International exchangeMakerspaces, Fab Labs and Creative HubsSymposium at makers united
International Maker Residence
International makers work in the Maker-Region Chemnitz and surroundings.
The Maker Residence brings international creatives to makerspaces in the Chemnitz region for around ten days. Material experiments, technical prototypes, workshops, educational formats and new collaborations are created there, which then become visible at makers united.
Open call17/18.-29.06.2026300 EUR material budget500 EUR mobilityInternational network
The third round of the Maker Residence program will take place in June 2026 around the makers united festival. Maker e.V. invites non-German makers to come to the region with an idea, a concept or an open project. Design challenges, material experiments, conceptual work, technical prototypes, traditional crafts and everything that needs to be tested in practice are welcome.
The focus is on knowledge and cultural exchange, collaboration, networking and doing things together. Projects on sustainability, circular use of resources, STEAM education, mediation, participation, dialogue and critical thinking are particularly suitable. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
statusThe Maker Residencies of the current round have already been selected. The following application information remains for guidance; an application for this year is no longer possible.
Who can apply?
Makers residing within the European Union are preferred.
Participants should speak sufficient English, communicate openly and respect diversity.
Interest in international exchange, long-term networking, independent work and sharing skills are important.
Workshop experience or experience with participatory formats is ideal, but not formulated as a hard exclusion condition.
A preferred makerspace can be specified, but does not guarantee placement. It is also possible to apply without a specific space choice.
The budget is primarily designed for EU trips. Additional travel costs from other regions of the world must be financed yourself.
Couples or project partners share a budget and accommodation. Unfortunately, the residency is not suitable for bringing small children.
Period, festival and expectations
The resident makers work in their selected makerspace from 17 or 18 June to 25 June 2026. On 25 June, everyone travels to Chemnitz, prepares their festival booth and meets the other residents at a networking event.
Young Makers DayOn Friday, June 26, 2026, makers united opens for schools from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Six simple workshop rounds, each lasting 45 to 50 minutes, with around five students per group and ages 9 to 16, are expected.
Festival weekendOn Saturday, 27 June, the festival is open to the general public. The resident makers present their projects in participatory formats and may sell maker items or DIY kits. An informal get-together follows in the evening.
17/18 June: Arrival at the host makerspace.
17/18–25 June: residency period in the makerspace.
25 June: travel to Chemnitz, setup and networking event.
June 26: Young Makers Day for schools, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
27 June: makers united festival with hands-on activities.
June 27th evening: informal get-together.
June 29th: Return journey.
What Maker e.V. offers
Personal support before and during the residency.
Contact in English, Dutch or German.
Exchange with local makerspaces and co-residents.
Multiple networking events for all Maker Residents.
Participation and presentation at makers united 2026.
Visibility via website and social media.
Accommodation budget during the residency and accommodation in Chemnitz during makers united, unless the residency is already in Chemnitz.
Mobility support as a flat rate of EUR 500.
Material budget of 300 EUR via the host makerspace.
Access to a vibrant, international and growing maker network.
The live page also advises you to familiarize yourself with tax-relevant daily allowances and stay abroad regulations in your own country. The Deutsche Bahn app and Deutschlandticket are recommended for mobility in the region; Travel should be planned in good time and as environmentally conscious as possible.
Application and process
Before applying, you should read all information, check the website and social media channels, view the participating makerspaces, clarify dates and travel options and fill out the form completely. The site states May 20, 2026 as the feedback deadline.
Note The residency places for this year have been taken; This section only documents the process.
Host makerspaces in the Residence network
BUNTSPEICHER Zwönitz
Outdoor space, buildings and landscape as an open environment for maker projects.
In 2024, the program brought together 25 European makers from 12 nationalities aged 21 to 66. They worked in parallel in 12 selected makerspaces in the Chemnitz region and developed participatory, education-oriented projects for the makers united festival.
The Residence network connects international creatives with local makerspaces and institutions in the Maker-Region Chemnitz. More than 50 creatives have already worked on residencies lasting one to four weeks. The spectrum ranges from natural marble production, robotics from Japan, textile upcycling installations from Ghana and glass art from Ukraine to 3D and wood dust printing, biomaterials, balancing robots, remote-controlled flying objects, AI and many intermediate forms.
The program is supported by strong partners and continues to grow as a legacy project of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025. The focus is not on a single year, but on an international network of makers, host spaces, workshops, knowledge transfer and long-term collaborations.
Residence Network
International Maker
These international makers expand the residence network in the Maker-Region Chemnitz and surrounding areas. The profiles show origins, fields of work and points of contact for exchange, workshops and joint projects.
Ghana
Emmanuel Aggrey Tieku
The engineer and artist works with textile waste, global material cycles and installation formats. In the residence he brings together material issues, sustainability and textile experiments.
Merel develops objects and installations in which wind, movement and material processes become visible production systems. Her work combines design, sustainability and storytelling.
The designer and fab maker works on electronics, soldering and communication formats. In workshops she translates technology into accessible small experiments.
Patrícia designs jewelry, objects and material studies between everyday life, upcycling and temporary gestures. Her practice makes value, residual material and body reference visible in a new way.
Magdalena works on spatial narratives, stage and production design. For the residence she brings an eye for atmosphere, material and scenic situations.
Asya comes from the Ukrainian maker and creative environment. Her work stands for open workshop practice, exchange and practical experiments with a community focus.
The architect, designer and researcher who works in Seville combines urban nature, digital manufacturing and speculative garden ideas to create participatory installations.
Nerman brings an open DIY practice of robotics, digital tools and documented construction processes. His work is particularly suitable for learnable, comprehensible technology.
José Manuel comes from Málaga and works as a STEAM facilitator with light, electronics and vivid experiments. Its formats invite you to try it out straight away.
H.S
Japan
Hiroshi Sato
Hiroshi brings a perspective on craft, learning and material culture to the residence using the Earthball context and traditional Japanese mural techniques.
Mateusz works on robotics and technical prototypes. His practice translates mechanics, sensors and digital tools into tangible machines and learning moments.
The duo works in Sardinia with weaving, dyeing, place remembrance and performative installations. In the region they link textile practice to local stories.
Jelmer is a furniture and product designer with a focus on circular materials. His work with recycled linoleum and clear, functional shapes is particularly visible.
Yvon develops playful, moving and flying objects. His works translate mechanics into amazement and are well suited for open, audience-oriented experiments.
Wouter builds balancing robots and works between mechanics, 3D printing, electronics, simulation and workshop improvisation. His projects show technology in motion.
Our growing international residence network shows how broad the international workshop and placement perspectives now are. Below are some of the residents from previous years.
Edurne Herrán (ESP)
Multidisciplinary artist from Berlin with roots in the Basque Country; it combines everyday life, encounters, digital interaction, participation, upcycling and workshops.
Upcycling artist and designer behind Metafora; transforms textile scraps, plastic, wood, paper and old objects into new functional and decorative works.
Filmmaker and co-initiator of Osveta z.s. Prague; develops film education for visually impaired young people and worked on Toy Design for makers united.
The best moments often happen close to the table: hands on the tools, children in front of robots, concentrated faces while soldering, loud amazement in the arena and small successes that have to be shown immediately.
VideoAftermovie 2025
VideoAftermovie 2024
VideoAftermovie 2023
VideoAftermovie 2022
Attitude
Open. Secure. For all.
Respect
Everyone should be able to ask, try and learn. Discrimination, harassment and exclusion have no place here.
Security
Tools, machines and experiments are accompanied. Anyone who takes part will receive clear information and support.
Trial & Error
Mistakes are part of the workshop. The key is to remain curious, take responsibility and learn from each other.
Next step
Bring your idea to the table.
Do you want to exhibit, register a school class or support the festival? Then get in touch early. We are looking for offers that actively involve visitors and show how much future there is in Chemnitz and the maker community.
Information for exhibitorsSchool classes: Application closedSupportNote Exhibitor registration, school-class applications and Maker Residence applications are closed for 2026.
Sponsor bookletAll information for supporters as a PDF.Open PDF
Organizer
Supported by maker structures.
makers united is organized by Maker e.V. and implemented together with partners from industry, creative industries, culture and the event environment.
Directions
Stadthalle Chemnitz.
The festival takes place at Stadthalle Chemnitz: Theaterstraße 3, 09111 Chemnitz. For data protection reasons, the map is only loaded when you actively open it.
Maker e.V. is a non-profit association that promotes science and research, art and culture as well as education. The association supports events, workshops, lectures and participation opportunities that combine STEAM topics with art, culture and international maker networking.
Data protection
Notes on Dataprocessing.
These notes apply to this static landing page at makers-united.de. Maker e.V., Zwickauer Straße 355a, 09117 Chemnitz, is responsible.
What this site processes
When you access the page, the web server processes technically necessary access data such as IP address, time, requested file, referrer and browser identifier. This serves the delivery, stability and security of the website.
The integrated videos and images are delivered locally from this domain. When the teaser video is played, no external video platforms are contacted.
The design switcher only saves the selected representation in the browser local storage. This information is not transmitted to the server.
If you contact us by email, your details will be processed to process your request.
Map and external links
The OpenStreetMap map is only integrated after you actively click on “Load map”. Technical data can then be transferred to the OpenStreetMap Foundation and participating infrastructure providers. External links, application forms and social media pages only open when clicked; The information provided by the respective provider applies to their processing.
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This static site uses no Google Analytics integration, no Facebook plugins, no newsletter and no marketing or reach cookies.
Your rights
In accordance with the GDPR, you have rights to information, correction, deletion, restriction of processing, data portability and objection. You can also complain to a data protection supervisory authority. For inquiries please contact info@makers-united.de.
BUNTSPEICHER Zwönitz
Olbernhauer Hutzenstübl
Kulturnetzwerk UW Etzdorf
Lehngericht Augustusburg
Sternenlabor Plauen
ESCHE LAB
Kulturgut Linda e.V.
Kulturhaus KLackx
NETZ-Werk Neukirchen
Klub Solitaer Chemnitz
Experiment Kitchen
Lokal Labor Alte Brauerei Annaberg-Buchholz
Vector Lab CNC Kreativachse Chemnitz
Chaostreff
Lößnitz Makers #diemacherei e.V.
Kulturwerk Schneeberg
Edurne Herrán (ESP)
Delphine Bawin (FR)
Navid Lari / Escaporium (BE)
Ferdinand Doblhammer (AUT)
Nerea Lekuona (ESP)
Alex Boca (ROU)
Jordi Giner Garcia (ESP)
Emeline Lavocat (FR)
Tom Violleau (FR)
Anastasiia Lopatiuk (UKR)
Fedele Tagarelli (ITA)
Rémi Plault (FR)
Berenike Corcuera (PER / DE)
Mélanie Thomas (FR)
Jeremy Leung (HK)
Isabella Anne Kelley (UK)
Jessica Swift (UK)
Samantha Yates (UK)
Pavel Ruzyak
