THE AUTONOMOUS DESIGN UNION WAS FORMED IN 2018 BY A NETWORK OF ARTISTS & TEXTILE WORKERS IN DETROIT, MI WHO NEEDED MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE, TRAIN, AND CREATE OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT MODELS AVAILABLE LOCALLY. BY THE SUMMER OF 2019, ADU HAD ESTABLISHED AN L3C (LIMITED, LOW-PROFIT LIABILITY COMPANY) WITH AN EDUCATIONAL RESIDENCY WITHIN A MANUFACTURING FACILITY PROVIDED BY FOUNDING MEMBER JACOB DOWN OF LOW STOCK CLOTHING (FKA JACOB DOWN MFG).

 

DURING THAT TIME, ADU MEMBERS CREATED THIS WEBSITE AS PART OF AN EFFORT TO ORGANIZE THE RESOURCES THEREIN, TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS, DESIGNERS, AND ARTISTS INTERESTED IN USING INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT IN A SELF-GUIDED MEMBERSHIP-BASED COMMUNAL STUDIO. OPERATING AS A FUNCTIONAL WORKSPACE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOW STOCK CLOTHING WITHIN THE LARGER PONYRIDE COMMUNITY OVER THAT SUMMER ALLOWED ADU TO DIRECTLY EXPAND THE NETWORK OF SOLIDARITY WITHIN DETROIT’S CREATIVE COMMUNITIES, AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THE INTERSECTING NEEDS OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.

 

BY THE FALL OF 2019, THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF ADU AGREED THAT THE RESIDENCY HAD REACHED THE LIMITS OF MUTUAL BENEFIT IN THAT CONFIGURATION. GIVEN THAT ADU WAS FOUNDED WITH EXPLICIT INTENTION TO OPERATE BOTH AS AN INTER-INDUSTRIAL LABOR UNION AND AS A SUSTAINABLE, CO-OPERATIVELY OWNED BUSINESS, THE NEED TO PURSUE LEGAL AND FINANCIAL COUNSEL TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS EQUITABLY HAS BECOME OUR TOP PRIORITY MOVING INTO 2020.

 

AS FOR THE MACHINES YOU’LL SEE DETAILED ON THIS SITE: LOW STOCK CLOTHING CONTINUES TO OPERATE IN THE FORMER BALTIMORE GALLERY AND YOU MAY INQUIRE ABOUT ACCESS TO INDUSTRIAL MACHINES THERE BY CONTACTING JACOB DOWN DIRECTLY AT JCDOWNMFG@GMAIL.COM.

 

CORE ADU REPRESENTATIVES WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR GUIDANCE OR SUPPORT VIA THE INQUIRY FORM ON THIS SITE.

 

ADU THANKS YOU FOR VISITING OUR SITE, AS WELL AS YOUR PATIENCE AS WE TAKE TIME TO ADAPT TO THE EVER-CHANGING NEEDS OF THE CREATIVE COMMUNITIES IN DETROIT AND BEYOND.