Here are three arts centres that have sought the renting option to help make ends meet. Their willingness to open up their spaces to individuals or arts groups who are not part of their classes or programs, nor their mandate or mission necessarily – is a sign of flexibility and smarts. All three, are tenants themselves, none own their space.
The Cabbagetown Community Arts Centre (CCAC), a thriving arts, music and drama centre for children mostly living in government housing, offers up a room on Sunday afternoons to a music instructor who conducts private voice lessons, for an entirely different clientele. Also, from Monday to Friday, they extend part of their space to another youth organization, UForChange. The combined rentals bring in about $12,400 a year in revenue to the CCAC.
Sketch is overflowing with art and youth making art, yet, still they lease out 2 small rooms for exclusive use, that they could easily use for their programs. One room has become a professional jeweler’s studio, the other a shared office for two small-staffed organizations. Combined, the revenue that these rents yield is about $11,400 a year! Also, Sketch recently rented out their studio for 2 days to a movie crew, they needed an art studio for a few scenes. This yielded about $3700. Worth the mayhem.
Though Clay Design is an established private business with gallery and pottery classes, they have expanded their revenue base in the past few months by renting out to individual students/artists at $200 a month. In this set up, an aspiring ceramic artist can use the collective studio for up to 12 hours a week and receive generous storage space for their work as well. They must also purchase the clay and glazes that they use. This is rental by time, the space is shared, and non-exclusive. They have a half dozen students/professionals renting this way, so this brings in about an extra $14,400.
Some things to be aware of if you go the rental route: your insurance coverage (make sure a rental is worked out with your insurance), your landlord knowing that you are renting out space, and being up front with your renters about ambient noise (from your programs!) In the majority of cases, staff of the community arts centre is on the premises.
People are always looking for studio space, many seek a space they can be creative in with a community feel, opting to not work in isolation, and to not take over the living room with a sculpture creation or easels. So, when it’s 10:00 am, on a Wednesday, you could be in the company of a few painters and the book-keeping could be a little lighter.
