Invention Club

We run weekly invention workshops at The Art Room in Redruth on Wednesdays at 6:30 – 8:30pm. Everyone over 11 is welcome, but under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

What to Expect at Invention Club

Our weekly Invention Club is all about learning through play, creativity, and collaboration. We focus on generating ideas for games, automata, and interactive machines, and work together to bring those ideas to life. With plenty of tools and materials at your disposal, you’ll have the freedom to experiment, tinker, and develop your projects in a supportive and imaginative environment.

Whether you’re an expert or a beginner, everyone is encouraged to contribute, learn, and share knowledge. While we have experienced team members to guide you, the club is built on the idea that we’re all learning and building together. Some participants bring their own projects for a bit of expert advice, while others enjoy freestyling and learning new skills by experimenting. The atmosphere is friendly and cooperative and we all jump in to help and make things happen.

Places are available on a pay-what-you-can basis. We are all volunteers and the money you pay will help us to buy more supplies and equipment and keep things going.

The Art Room is in the middle of Redruth, right opposite the cinema, in Knight’s Arcade. Walk through the covered walkway next to Home Ground Coffee Shop. Nearby parking is free after 4pm.

The Art Room Redruth

Invention Club FAQs

Until you’ve been to Invention Club, it’s hard to know exactly what to expect. To give you an idea, we’ve shared some videos and photos of the kinds of projects we work on over on our Instagram.

It’s a friendly and welcoming group of people who enjoy making and creating. If you’re feeling nervous about joining or have specific questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’re happy to help!

When you’re ready to book, you can find the next date and booking info here.

What is Invention Club?

Invention Club is a weekly workshop where people of all ages and skill levels can come together to learn, create, and share ideas. We focus on electronics, coding, mechanisms, and tools to make arcade-style games and automata.

What’s the overall plan?

We want to establish a permanent workshop and exhibition space in the heart of Redruth – a creative centre for building interactive games and automata. This space will function not only as a collaborative workshop for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) activities but also as an engaging public attraction showcasing community-built exhibits.

Invention Club is a way for us to build a group of people with a wide range of skills needed to make interactive items that other people can come and play with. There’s more information on our plan here.

When and where does the club meet?

We meet every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30pm at The Art Room, Redruth. The Art Room is opposite the cinema in Redruth, next to Home Ground Coffee.

Who can join Invention Club?

Anyone who is creative, imaginative, inventive, technical, artistic, practical, or enthusiastic! The club is open to individuals aged 11 and over.

Do I need any prior experience to join?

No experience is necessary! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned maker, there’s something for everyone. We are building up a group with a wide range of skills to make bigger and better projects.

How much does it cost?

Invention Club isn’t free as we need to cover materials, equipment, and insurance, but we want it to be accessible to everyone. That’s why our tickets are pay-what-you-can. You can choose an amount to pay when booking online, or if you prefer, you can drop a cash donation into the pot during the evening.

If you’re unable to pay, that’s absolutely fine – we don’t want cost to be a barrier to anyone joining in. Payments are completely private, so no one will know whether you paid online, in person, or not at all.

How is Fluxus Cornwall CIC funded?

We have received grant funding from Cornwall Marine Network; Cornwall Community Foundation; Redruth Charity Trust; and South West Water. We have received some money for running specific workshops and people pay for tickets to Invention Club to help pay for materials and more equipment etc.

We’re a Community Interest Company which means we’re focused on providing community benefit, not private profit.

In 2023-2024, our income was just under £5,000 and we spent this on tools, equipment, materials and insurance etc. Everyone volunteers their time because they enjoy getting together and working on things. No one gets paid. Tina lets us use The Art Room to host Invention Club for free.

Do I need to register in advance?

Yes. Please book your place online at https://fluxuscornwall.co.uk/booking

What will we be making?

Inventing games, automata (hand-cranked mechanical devices) and things designed to be played with makes use of so many different traditional and contemporary skills.

We can help you with things like movements and mechanisms, electronics and coding to make interactive games and automata.

We can help you with some starter projects to get to grips with the basics, then we can support you to work on your own ideas using a combination of different skills and techniques.

Can I work on my own project?

Absolutely! We encourage participants to bring their own ideas and projects to work on with support from our team and access to our tools.

Do I need to bring anything?

No, we provide all the materials and tools needed for each session. However, if you have specific tools or materials you’d like to use, feel free to bring them along. (Let us know what you’ve got in mind before bringing any tools)

What ages is it suitable for?

Everyone over 11 is welcome, but if you’re under 16, you need to be accompanied by an adult.

I’m under 11 – how can I get involved?

Our weekly Invention Club is suitable for people aged 11 and up. We sometimes do other events that are suitable for younger people, and if you sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media, you’ll find out about them there.

Newsletter sign-up. Instagram. Facebook.

I’ve got an idea but don’t know how to make it

Collaboration is encouraged, and it’s a great way to learn new skills and share ideas. Come along and talk to us about what you want to do and we’ll see how our skills can be combined to get it moving.