Artist Studios - A. Salon

A. Salon, Ltd. has been around for over 20 years.
The organization leases space at 6925 Willow Street in DC (Takoma Park) and makes it available to artists of all kinds for use as studios. Each studio-holder becomes a member of the co-op and executes a Space Use Agreement permitting the artist to use a specific area or room.

Space-Use Agreements are for a 12-month period. Studios are available as is but changes may be made by the artist with the approval of the Executive Board.

Newly available studios are shown to the public every Wednesday night during our weekly open-house, at which time anyone can tour the building, the main art gallery, available studios and if interested, new member applications can also be submitted. Please explore the links at left for more information.

Info here

Greater Washington Creative Communities Initiative

This is a relatively new initiative, I think, from DC's Community Foundation, the Greater Washington Creative Communities Initiative.

The Creative Communities Fund was established to increase resources for the creation, development, and distribution of new works made by local artists. The centerpiece activity of the fund is an awards program. Annually, up to $150,000 is awarded to non-profit organizations working in partnership with artists in the region. By providing this incentive to organizations, CFNCR encourages them to increase their commitments to individual artists. The fund also serves as a regional model for investment in artists and art making.

2008/2009 grants were recently announced and they were awarded to organizations and individual artists who are working together on specific projects. More info here

LINC (Leveraging Investments in Creativity)

Another cool initiative - based in New York - started 5 years ago.

LINC (Leveraging Investments in Creativity) is a ten-year national initiative to improve conditions for artists in all disciplines, so that artists can more readily do their creative work and contribute to community life.

Web site is here

The initiative has several components, including improving access to health insurance, live and work space, and promoting and connecting efforts of individual artist communities.

School Space - meeting

Cultural Tourism DC has arranged another meeting about the schools.

A follow-up workshop, designed for those who need assistance with the application process. Developers and architects who have previously worked with arts organizations will offer their expertise in project feasibility, design, build-out cost, and other renovation concerns.

Friday, August 8, 2008
9:30 - 11:30 am
Cultural Tourism DC’s office
1250 H Street, NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20009

RSVP by Wednesday, August 6 to Membership@CulturalTourismDC.org

Chicago Artists Resource

Every city should have a site like this one! Check out chicagoartistsresource.org

The site is all-encompassing for artists in Chicago, featuring news, events, calls for art, info about housing and much more!

Created by artists, for artists
Chicago Artists Resource (CAR) is a program of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
CAR describes the landscape of opportunity for Chicago artists working in Dance, Music, Theater and Visual Arts

Excess School Space

DC's Office of Property Management has put out a Request for Expression of Interest for the Reuse of DCPS Excess Space. Site Visits of the 8 schools on the list will be held July 28 and 29. Details can be found here - OPM - REI

ArtistLink in Mass.

ArtistLink is a great resource for artists in Massachusetts. And an example for artists and arts providers in other areas. From the ArtistLink web site -

ArtistLink is a collaborative effort to create a stable yet dynamic environment for Massachusetts artists.

ArtistLink achieves this mission by taking a leadership role on artist space by providing individual artists, developers, and municipalities with targeted information and technical assistance and by advocating for relevant policy changes at the state level.

For more info, check out their web site - http://www.artistlink.org

Creative Economy - #2

WDCEP recently announced the next step in what is now being called the "Creative DC Action Agenda". From the WDCEP web site -

On Wednesday, May 25, WDCEP and its partners held the kick-off meeting for the Creative DC Action Agenda, with winning contractor Mt. Auburn Associates, Inc.

Mt. Auburn will be working with Phillips Preiss Shapiro Associates, Inc., Regional Technology Strategies, Inc., and Technical Advisors Kingslow Associates, LLC and Bill Strickland.

The Creative DC Action Agenda is part of a broader Creative Economy Initiative, which is a collaboration between WDCEP, Office of Planning, and the DC Commission of the Arts and Humanities.

The Creative Action Agenda will lay out an action plan for strengthening the District's creative economy, expanding employment and business development opportunities, and enhancing neighborhoods.

Future posts will follow the progress of the initiative with, hopefully, information about how artists and other creatives can get involved.

The Creative Economy

There is much buzz about the Creative Economy these days. Every major city has an initiative, including DC. So far the effort seems to be "top down", driven by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the DC Office of Planning, the Washington DC Economic Partnership and others. To make a true impact, however, it must involve artists and arts administrators who are active on the front lines. Here's a link to the WDCEP web site announcement about Creative DC Summit of September, 2007 - http://www.wdcep.com/aboutus/creativedc.php

Introduction

This is a blog about finding affordable space for creative uses. I'll look at space needs for artists and independent businesses - the lifeblood of a thriving city.

It is intended as an information source for artists who are looking for spaces to create and present and live. And as a resource for independent businesses.

I will include information about :

studio space * rehearsal space * exhibition space * retail space * performance space * living space *office space * and much more!

In addition to a focus on these specific issues in Washington, DC, I will reference ideas and innovative projects from all over the world. Blog posts will be wide-ranging, from specific to theoretical.

My goal is to help artists and independent businesses find affordable space that can serve as a base for exciting and groundbreaking work.