While some artists both live and create work in the same space (either by choice or because of financial constraints), many will agree that it can be difficult to stay organized and maintain a healthy work/life balance.
However, finding a great art studio can pose several problems. While a separate space dedicated exclusively to art making can make you more efficient and productive, it can often be very challenging to find and afford your own. Locating a studio in your price range with an adequate amount of space and the resources you need—especially in dense urban areas—can be tricky if not close to impossible, and many creatives have resorted to doubling or even tripling up to share available art studios.
But sharing a space can pose its own set of challenges, which you’ll need to learn to navigate. That’s why we spoke with a few seasoned pros to gain key insights about the best ways to approach a shared art studio. One hint? Remember to frame it as an opportunity, stay flexible, and be open to exploring different ways to make it work for you.
Finding the right studio mate
If you’re hoping for a lot of square footage in a popular neighborhood, you may find that your options, if trying to go it alone, are limited. Finding another creative to share your art studio can look one of two ways: either you can agree to work at different times, or you can divide the space evenly and in a way that fits each artists’ respective practice.
But you’ll also need to think honestly about something much more important: do you have personal chemistry? Are you able to imagine tolerating this person in a shared space? Is this someone that you consider a personal friend, acquaintance, or a complete stranger?
The sweet spot, as it often is with roommates, seems to fall somewhere in the middle: you want to find someone you know and trust, but that you can maintain your independence from. If you’re considering someone you don’t know as well, take the time to sit down somewhere for a cup of coffee and talk plainly about your boundaries. Remember to prioritize honesty: if something is a deal breaker for you in the real world, this is not the time to be polite and sweep it under the rug.
In particular, you’ll need to discuss what your expectations are in terms of how you’ll split the space, the time you’ll spend there, and how you’ll share costs. You might even write up a sort of contract for you both to sign: this step really does make things feel more “real”, and it can be helpful in terms of avoiding any miscommunication further down the road.
Sharing an art studio takes compromise, but it can open a world of opportunity.
Timing
Sometimes, the perfect art studio sneaks up on you, in which case we say seize the opportunity. However, if you’re able to find a potential studiomate first, that may be ideal. Artist and professor Erin Treacy says that she met the right person to share a space with before starting her search. “Sharing a space can be difficult, but finding personalities that match is key. I’ve had shared spaces where we built walls to separate our things, but I felt like it got too confined…now, I found a good match and we are sharing a large studio, and we have just divided the space with flat files, which feels much more comfortable. We also worked out times…so that we have alone time in the space, but we can also be there at the same time.”
Treacy also mentions that the person with whom she shares her art studio works in another medium and on a smaller scale, so there’s more room for her to work on her larger paintings. This also means that they’ve divided the rent according to the square footage that each uses, so that both artists are paying their fair share.
By clarifying how both artists will use the studio, you can be budget-savvy while locking down a great location with ample space. Clear communication is the first step towards this goal, but there are also other factors that you’ll want to consider.
Access to resources and networks
Ideally, your art studio should be situated within a building or alongside an organization that provides you with a greater bandwidth and diverse artist network. The other benefit to sharing a space is unlocking the opportunity to network and expose your work to new audiences. And while the studio you occupy may ultimately be temporary, the networks you build during your time there can be priceless. Make an effort to connect more closely with your fellow creators when you share these community spaces.
Consider the community
In addition to opportunities to associate with known nonprofits, building a roster of respected studio neighbors can be another benefit to consider when looking for an art studio. Artist and professor Jodie Lyn-Kee-Chow knows this firsthand after her time at the prominent 5Pointz art space, formerly located in Long Island City, where she was about to grow her artist network while sharing her space with a diversity of other artists. “I shared a few studios with several people over the course of about four years, sharing my first space with a painter whom I went to grad school [with, then] I later shared a space with my close friend, photographer, and fashion designer, Jenny Ham.”
Lynn-Kee-Chow was also impressed by the sense of connectedness she experienced while there. “The community was really supportive and tight-knit,” she notes, echoing the benefits that come with carefully selected studio buildings and artist communities.
Another consideration that you don’t want to overlook is what your studio mate might be able to share. Do they seem in the know when it comes to important opportunities, like where to apply for grants or exciting open calls? The conversations you have can be mutually beneficial as you both share nuggets of industry knowledge and even professional connections. Ultimately, lifting each other up can increase exposure while creating a sense of security and bolstering confidence.
Being willing to share can give you access to community.
Art studio troubles
We’d be doing you a disservice if we didn’t acknowledge an unfortunate reality: sharing a confined art studio can lead to frustration. You may arrive inspired and ready to work, only to find that your studio mate has overtaken the space. Different personality quirks may even aggravate you at times. But this is also an opportunity to develop personally: try to take things in stride, and if there’s something you really can’t live with, bring it up calmly and respectfully. Life can be awkward, but sharing space can teach you invaluable lessons that can positively benefit you in all aspects of your life.
While there can certainly be compromises to make and the occasional drawback, sharing an art studio—and responsibility—can be the opportunity of a lifetime: you just have to invest and make it work. Being part of a larger community gives you and your artwork an opportunity to grow, and the benefits of a shared space can ultimately outweigh the cons if you just remain flexible, respectful, and kind. The older sibling of the ubiquitous co-working space, art studio shares prove that creatives were ahead of the game when it comes to maximizing savings and space. You just had to be innovative enough to spot it.
Have you shared an art studio before? Was it a positive experience, or did you find it challenging? Any tips on how to get along with your studio mate? Let us know in the comments.
