New London — The downtown Spark Makerspace that is inviting artists, craftsmen, chefs, technologists and other business people to unite behind a vision of sharing tools and equipment in an atmosphere of creative collaboration has launched a $15,000 Kickstarter campaign to help fund the startup project.

The crowdfunding campaign is seeking financial donations through the end of February from the community but also will be open to members who want to prepay for one or more months of membership in the cooperative at 86 Golden St. in the former El 'n' Gee Club. If the cooperative exceeds its fundraising goals, organizers expect they will immediately be able to lease the top floor of the building to open up quieter space for artists and filmmakers, for instance, essentially doubling their capacity.

The most built-out space at Spark is an enclosed woodshop that takes up about a third of the downstairs. Tim McGuire, a city resident who oversaw the woodshop, said about $20,000 in equipment has been donated to Spark, including a jig saw, band saw, scroll saw, bench grinder and drill press.

"So many people have tools they are not using," McGuire said, "and so many people don't have a place. I have some nice tools."

Organizers Hannah Gant, George Ryan and day-to-day Spark manager Casey Moran say McGuire, a cabinetmaker and teacher, has been a whirlwind in getting the woodshop together. The space will have a soft launch in February, with membership fees being collected starting in March and a grand opening likely sometime in March or April.

Moran has started teaching drawing classes on Wednesday nights, and regular woodworking and electronics tutorials also will be launched soon.

"There's a strong emphasis on applied learning," Gant said.

Meanwhile, organizers are planning a video campaign highlighting one member of the Makerspace each day talking about the importance of Spark to their own future. A wish list for donated equipment and materials, tax deductible through Spark's affiliation with New London Main Street, can be found on the cooperative's website at www.spark.coop.

Plans are for electronics and art sections of Spark to occupy either side of two long walls, with a commercial kitchen near the front of the space.

The Makerspace is open from noon to 5 p.m. six days a week, with extended hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Working members willing to teach classes or provide other in-kind support will pay a monthly fee of $30, while others simply wanting to use the space and equipment will be charged $55.

"We're interested in working with just about anybody," said Ryan, who has a background in technology.

For the first couple of months, the space will be open only to individuals, but Gant sees a time when businesses could become part of the mix as well. The membership fee includes use of a co-working space at 13 Golden St. that hosts conference and presentation facilities.

Organizers say they believe more than 100 members could be part of the project within the first few months.

"We've got faith we can do it," Gant said.

All three of the main organizers said their main motivation in starting the coop is to be able to use the space themselves, which for Moran means pursuing his art, while for Gant and Ryan it means utilizing meeting space for business purposes or to encourage more entrepreneurship in the region.

"This is going to be ... cool," Gant said.

l.howard@theday.com

Twitter: @KingstonLeeHow