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Curious Forge, new Broad Street shop pitch community programming to Nevada City arts commission
Summary
At its June 4 meeting, the Nevada City Public Arts Commission heard presentations from the Curious Forge maker space and Heather Heckler, co-owner of the new Wonder Dosen retail/workshop. Presenters described workforce courses, youth scholarships and community outreach; commissioners signaled interest in partnership and youth programming.
The Nevada City Public Arts Commission on June 4 heard two presentations from local creative businesses aiming to expand hands-on art and trades training in the city.
Liam, a co-founder of the Curious Forge, described the operation as “a 20,000 ft² playground for the artist, fabricator, tinkerer,” located between Nevada City, Penn Valley and Grass Valley and offering 16 professional studios and 25 studio guides. He outlined facilities ranging from jewelry and lapidary studios to a CNC mill, a plasma cutter, multiple welding bays and a ceramics studio. "We offer workshops and membership," Liam said, noting that the Forge now serves about 180 members and relies on roughly 35 volunteers.
The presenter said the Forge runs intensive "learn to use" qualification classes and a metal fabrication workforce course that admits eight participants per cohort; that course has been offered free to low-income residents through a community services block grant. He also described outreach efforts — a mobile trailer concept for bringing hands-on stations to schools and fairs — and said transportation remains a barrier for some participants.
Heather Heckler, co-owner of a new Broad Street retail and workshop named Wonder Dosen, told commissioners her shop combines art supplies and limited-edition local work with regular "experiences" and workshops that emphasize process over outcome. "We're about process and curiosity," Heckler said, adding the shop aims to serve youth and queer community members and to host drop-in events, printmaking and print nights during the First Friday art walk.
Commissioners asked about recruitment for workforce programs, membership models and accessibility. Liam said the Forge receives about 30 to 40 applicants for workforce cohorts and uses interviews to ensure participants can complete the course; membership is a subscription with monthly and annual options. Heckler said Wonder Dosen plans to open with community-focused programming, previewed a printmaking demonstration for an upcoming art walk and invited the commission to collaborate on youth-oriented initiatives.
Both presenters flagged potential public art opportunities: the Forge has produced public work such as a bicycle rack with contributors’ welded names and supports youth mural projects; Heckler described limited-edition local artworks and workshop outputs that could feed local public-art inventories.
The commission expressed general enthusiasm and asked staff and presenters to explore concrete partnerships that could involve youth scholarships, artist-in-residence placements and coordinated public events. The meeting’s consent calendar was approved earlier in the evening; no public comments were recorded during the presentations.
What happens next: Commissioners suggested staff follow up on possible pilot projects and funding avenues and to report back at a future meeting with details about partnership opportunities and potential calendar slots for joint programming.
