I write this review with mixed emotions. My daughter has attended summer camp here the last two years and loved it. The space is amazing, there is a beautiful park across the street, and the teachers were energetic and had plans for each day. Kids used a different medium each day and did sculpting, 3D printing, etc. They went to the park almost every day and made creative projects where they learned a lot, my daughter loved it. This summer has been completely different. From the moment I brought my daughter in on Monday and asked where she should put her stuff and was told, "I don't know, I guess we can try over there?" I could tell there was no coherent plan. I was also told right away it was going to be tough because there are "a lot more students this year" when it seems like the camp is the same size or even smaller than I have observed in years past. Most of the day is spent in "free time" where there are legos and arts and crafts in a room, there is a yellow piece of tape the students are supposed to stay behind and they are kind of left to their own devices. They have gone to the park once. I asked today if they would be going, and I was told by the teacher they didn't want to get left out if it starts pouring, even though it's an unseasonably beautiful day with a high in the low to mid 70s. There is an 8% chance of rain, in the afternoon, and when I said I don't think it's supposed to rain the teacher told me that her phone said "blaring thunderstorms." The only medium the kids have used is plaster and hot glue, and there is no exploring of the space and activities in other parts of the beautiful space like there used to be. The kids are safe, and it's not like anything is horribly wrong, but there is no creativity or coherent plan, and my daughter, who never complains, said it's boring this year and she doesn't want to go back. I brought this up with the teacher and she informed me it's her first time there, and she's "still trying to figure out the camp and what is and isn't allowed." I'm not sure completely what that means, but for the students who signed up for this week, that doesn't do them much good. She also mentioned "Well, we'll be doing a lot more stuff today," which I guess is great, but also an admission they haven't done much, and it's already the last day of the camp for this session. It is a CLEAR case of making things easier for the teachers over prioritizing the experience of the students. Kids need to be safe, but teachers also need to be proactive and creative, and if there are too many kids for this to happen, there needs to be more staff added. read more

It's alive! Monster mini golf returned to the generator this October with some of the most exciting and elaborate mini golf creations ever witnessed. Some of the most creative people in the world called the generator and we get to have all of this right here in our backyard. If you're not familiar, the generator is a maker space that house is numerous independent artists that create works of all shape sizes and mediums . It's also a community of artistic folks who come together to learn and enhance each other creativity and teach each other how to become better and more accomplished artists as well. The resource sharing in the space is magical and the work that comes out of it has put our community on the map in a major way. We are so fortunate to have This organization in our community and if you got to check it out, I urge you to hit their website, find an opportunity and get in there. Even if you don't know what you wanna do you can still just drop in and check it out and see everything that's going on so you can be inspired to dive in a little deeper. Back to the mini golf, though this is an annual event where teams come together to showcase their creativity and encourage others to just come and have a little fun interacting with it. The mini golf course has 18 holes a very themes, all tied back to the Halloween holiday my favorites this year had to be the massive Mount Rose Ski lift and Mountain, which was fully operational. I also loved the haunted house that was a full long walk-through or should I say put through and of course, the cow casino, or CowSino, complete with working slot machine that accepted Candy as coins and paid out a massive sugary jackpot when the bell tolled. The cost to attend is super affordable and it's a great outing for a date night family or just friends hanging out . The generator does a ton of other events throughout the year, so definitely hit their website scope out the calendar and get involved . read more

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Thank you to the Generator for opening your doors to non members. The Generator is a large open facility for artists to rent space in to work on their large scale and messy projects. I personally have a small space at home that I use to create my greeting cards. But once a quarter the Generator opens its doors to members and non members to host a market night. The night before Valentine's Day I set up a small table to sell a few Valentine and birthday cards I had made. The staff were well organized and made it a pleasure to have a booth and check out other artists. They even had food trucks available for food and a drink booth for libations. Follow them on Facebook and check out their next market night. read more

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I am a huge fan of The Generator! How lucky we are to have such a cool, creative community maker space right here in Reno/Sparks? The Generator holds many events here - from the Reno Punk Rock Flea Market to Summer Camps to Art Battles. It also offers workshops like Oil Painting Techniques to Simple Sewing with Machines to Intro to Screen Printing. Be sure to follow their IG to stay on top of what's going on there. I think my favorite event so far was the Playa Art Preview Fundraiser last week. The event began with a cocktail hour, a silent auction, a raffle, and live entertainment with an aerialist and a singing guitarist. Guests were also served a delicious dinner of Jambalaya and Paella prepared by board members (with thoughtful, yummy vegetarian versions available). Since I have never been to Burning Man, I really loved the opportunity to see where and how much of the this year's art is being made. It was extra special to have presentations by the artists! read more

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A maker space that has a lot of room to show and share your art. Many "burners" use this location to get their art ready. I understand they have an excellent wood shop that is available for use but I don't know the terms. All sorts of groups use the space. There is a fee for that. read more

The Generator - Pretty cool resource for our community - Cultural Center Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

This is a maker space with an eclectic mix of art work. On the Third Thursday the artists display their works for sale. I went with a couple of friends and we checked out the art and had a nice visit and enjoyed the vibe. read more

The Generator - Art - Cultural Center Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

Interesting place! We are holding our Dress for Success Recycle the Runway event! Creative space, and so many interesting things to see. Come check it out!! read more

This place is great first time here seeing all the designs and project people have created. So interesting if you get a chance to stop by and see everything read more

Reno in general probably doesn't know how lucky they are to have The Generator. What an incredible idea for the former space. Safety first, creativity/teamwork/fun second. Can't imagine living anywhere else without this invaluable resource and the amazing people I've met through it. read more

II was a vendor at the Generator"s Third Thursay event. The whole process was friendly, efficient and professional. The Generator is a non-profit membership maker space but the Third Thursday event is open for artists and community member to sell their work. The space is primarily industrial and lots of large sculptural builds are happening and everything is very dirty. My advice for vendors is to bring covers and drop cloths. There is a small bar inside to buy a beer and also a coffee and ice tea space. The event was well attended and there was a food truck in the parking lot. Lots of artists to meet and Burning Man installations to see. There were carts to borrow to help with loading and unloading but I found the parking lot was surprisingly dark at the end of the event and I wish I had brought a flashlight The selling and payment set up is easy for the artist and customer. I recommend Third Thursday for artists looking for a place to sell and show their work with a low overhead ( the Generator charges 10% of your sales only) and a fun night out for art enthusiasts of all ages. . read more

The Generator - Olear Studios Vending at Third Thursday - Cultural Center Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

My son attended two camps here this summer. It was fun for him to create and it was a half day camp which can be a challenge to find.

Paid a monthly fee , took the initial classes and indoctrination. Wanted to use more of the equipment that is available. I was told I would have to take more classes and pay more money.However no one could give me a schedule or information regarding costs. The Generator is a disappointment. read more

I went to their open house and was just amazed. I had no idea there was such a place in Reno that would allow for the public to come in and create art (of all sorts) by using the equipment on hand. Everyone there is happy to share their knowledge and tools. If you want to learn how to weld, yes, they will teach you (for FREE). the same goes for just about everything else. the hours are always open so long as someone else is there. great for those who maybe work odd hours and still want to go work on something. seems like a burners haven (at least that is the feeling I got). everyone friendly and eager to share what they know. this is a not for profit establishment, so if you do go by and use their stuff, please donate to help keep this place going. read more

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I think my original review must have disappeared, how could I have never reviewed the Genney?! I fell in love with this place almost from the beginning. This is a true makers space. If you have ever wanted to learn a new skill, from wood work, to metal work, to aerial silks, this is your place. There is something for everyone here. It gets a little crazy toward the end of the summer as there are TONS of artists in here creating their magic for Burning Man, but that's half the fun. Going in and meeting the artists, and learning about their vision, or meeting people from around the world. They also love to give tours of the facility. Go in, introduce yourself and ask. it's a good spot for sure. Oh, did I mention this place is free?? You can literally go in here and create something for free. It's pretty magical. read more

Really cool art space, full of incredibly nice people. We were in the area, and when we stopped in someone was kind enough to offer us a tour even though it was outside of their normal touring hours. The amount of equipment here is staggering -- everything from laser cutters, 3d printers, metal working machines, and a wood shop. Membership options are extremely reasonable. I wish we lived in the area so we could take advantage of this space! read more

If you want to visit a whole new world within the Reno Sparks area, please come see what this place is all about. A place for multiple artists and all kinds of people to come and create without any judgement it really truly is a community within itself. Ranging for different workshops you can take to the Reno aerial co-op hosting aerial silk classes to simply sitting at a table and enjoying the wide array of talent and beautiful people around you. There's a greenhouse inside that sustains itself and fish tanks and various stations for metal work, glass, metal etching and so so much more. My breath was taken away in this hidden gem. And the people were absolutely beautiful and incredible to talk to. read more

One of the coolest places around to get creative. It's not strictly burners here, but quite a few! We went to their first ever haunted miniature golf this year and had a great time! Hope they will expand and do it again next year. Another fabulous thing about this place is the equipment that is available for use. The People here are awesome and willing to help you make whatever you want to make. read more

I've never seen anything quite like the Generator! It's truly a haven for artists of all kinds. It's amazing to me that this is able to survive without charging anyone any fees to use the facilities, and is run on a primarily volunteer basis. What an artist's dream! From fashion to paintings to ginormous structures of wood and other materials, this place is a studio for all kinds of creators. Apparently it was started by someone who wanted space to work on stuff for Burning Man, and you can definitely tell that that's the main theme of the place, but you don't have to be a burner to utilize the space as far as I can tell. I saw lots of amazing equipment like laser cutters, metalworking, even automotive equipment! The people working there are really nice and are happy to show you what they're working on and just talk about the space in general. Truly a gem in Reno and something I wish was happening in more cities! read more

Super cool event with locals selling vintage items, local art, beer and live bands!! I bought some vintage band pins and patches to put on my denim jacket!! Love the 80's!! :) read more

The Generator - Reno Punk Rock Flea market - Cultural Center Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

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The Generator! WOW! If you haven't been by here to check out the happenings, you are missing out. This is a community art space, inspired by burning man. I had the pleasure of meeting a colleague here today and checking out the space - it was amazing! The building is huge and inviting, filled with local artists and their art projects. Anyone is welcome at the generator, whether it be to join in on a social event, check out some cool local art projects in the making, or explore your creative side and try out a project of your own. Inside is a wood shop, metal shop, fabric shop, movie theater, aerial silks area, etc. - yes, it sounds as good as it actually is! Just like burning man, there is no money exchange here, but rather it is a donations funded space that is open to anyone willing to participate in the community of art and inclusion. If you are confused, check out their website for more information. "The Generator is an oasis of demodification. We don't buy. We don't sell. We dream. We convene. We create. We make." Today I got to watch artists work on Project Embrace - incredible! For those of you that are burners, you get a mini burning man rush as you enter this space. read more

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This is an amazing space no matter who you are. I was shocked when I had a tour for the first time. I left feeling beyond excited to get a membership and get started working on a few amazing projects for my house! Between the metal shop and wood shop, I'm almost giddy. The staff is amazing and helpful. All of the people who are there are kind and respectful. Do yourself a favor and go check it out! read more

I had to have some laser printing done and was told The Generator was the place to go to. It did not disappoint. I have never done any printing of this kind before and contacted them ahead of time. There is a schedule online so you can see availability and then you email and set up your time. Lindsay was very helpful with scheduling and asking questions to see what I needed to do. I arrived at The Generator and it's a humongous warehouse filled with all kinds of artistic treats. I was told that this wasn't the busy season so there wasn't as much going on, but it still was so cool to see! There was something to look at at every turn. Lindsay greeted me and was so wonderful helping my novice butt with the laser printer. I can't thank him enough. Not only was he helpful, but very knowledgeable and great to talk to. Did I mention this place is FREE? Yes, FREE! After my stenciling was finished, the only thing left to do was to clean up my mess and I was on my way. Thank you, Lindsay and The Generator. I will be back! read more

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Words escape me, upon driving up one would think what? Just trust and follow the direction and there you will find maki and an eclectic world filled with inspiration and acceptance...best sidetrack you can make.... read more

The Generator - Awe! Extreme talent.... - Cultural Center Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

Fantastic community art and builder space. Tons of space and even more tools and equipment. Everything from a screwdriver to laser cutters. Puts on great events and has very friendly people running the place as well as the group membership. Has something for everybody from a painter that just needs a space to groups that want to build the next giant structure for Burning man. And Aric Shapiro is the best! read more

this rating is for the halloween mini golf thing that they had here. it was pretty fun ! just kind of unorganized. alot of the holes had no instruction,,, or anyone helping out to determine what to actually do. this was a very fun idea and we did have fun... but there was just no organization ... hordes of people standing around in the golf area even if they werent golfing, no lines.... just people just cutting everyone and throwing down their ball whenever they wanted. the idea of artist creating these courses is awesome... i almost wish the actual artist were there to help instruct how some of the holes worked... alot of them were breaking too, which i understand,,, when drunken people are stumbling around walking all over the place on them.. maybe they just need to work the kinks out , cause it was a good time ! read more

RAD HIDDEN GEM IN SPARKS! Has a variety of eclectic and creative activities. My favorite is definitely the aerial silks, SO MUCH FUN! I will definitely be back to wonder the community, create & enjoy. read more

This is the place to get your hands dirty and your dreams turned into reality! Reno area burners know how to get'er done

My son and I are artists so we went there the other day to check out this awesome place that everyone has been raving about. Not one person acknowledged us or said hi. Everything was scattered around like a junk yard. You could tell where the wood shop and the metal shop were but that was it. We felt out of place and not welcome so we left. read more

I wish there was a place like this where I live, and I am blown away by the fact that this exists in Sparks! If I lived there I would make sure I spent time there all the time, what an inspirational place for artists of all kinds. To have access to all the amenities the Generator has, for free (!!!) is any artists dream. The feeling of community here is breathtaking, it actually makes me emotional thinking about it. I hope all the artists with space there know exactly how lucky they are (pretty sure they do). read more