We are a grassroots group dedicated to helping community members make small-scale projects and events happen together. Our mission revolves around three key goals: Being an incubator and testing ground for creative ideas, a civic skill-building workshop for youth and adults, and a bridge between people of diverse backgrounds and identities.
Community members share their project ideas with us online, at festivals, and wherever we can meet them. The ideas can be anything, so long as they are open to the public, are inclusive, and take place in or improve a public space. Every so often, we hold a Community Ideas Summit. Volunteers who pledge to join a Project Team get to vote on recently submitted ideas, and the winners are kicked off at the summit! DIY Lowell facilitators help the Project Teams make the winning ideas a reality with technical assistance and funding.
Many of these projects, such as Points of Light Lantern Celebration, take on a life of their own outside of DIY Lowell. This is our goal: each project is a small experiment that, if successful, leads the way to bigger changes in Lowell. Meanwhile, community members “learn by doing” and work with diverse folks they would have never met otherwise!
“Mission” and “Join” photos by Britt Boughner, “Inovlved” photo by Aurora Erickson.
Current Projects
The Acre Art & History Activation Project is guiding a Project Team of community members from different backgrounds, ages, and perspectives to work together to tell their story through pop-up signage, art, and installations. DIY Lowell facilitators are helping the team not only learn how to gather information, interview other community members, develop themes, and create and manage technical efforts such as calls for art, but also to leverage those stories to boost local businesses.
Open Streets Lowell team members created a temporary walking/patio area in downtown Lowell on Merrimack Street from Kirk to Central, allowing walkers, bikes, and emergency vehicles only. During the patio time, there were vendors, music, and other attractions. The team is now working with the City to bring it back for a second year!
We’ve always been stronger when we come together. This is why DIY Lowell is hosting, Let’s Talk Lowell, a series of round table community connection conversations about preserving our vibrancy. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments served and child-friendly activities are available. Interpretation available upon request. Let’s Talk Lowell is on hiatus and will return sometime in 2026!
The Lowell Community Festival and Event Planners Resource Group is a collaboration with Mosaic Lowell to bring together festivals and events of all types to teach and learn from one another. This includes both regular workshop panels to share best practices and skills and space for creating new collaborations.
