The Studio Loan Bulletin Board is a virtual space where “needs” and “offers” for temporary, short-term (up to two weeks*) Los Angeles studio space can be publicly posted. This project is designed to facilitate connections between artists who need studio space and artists who have studio space to lend.
This collaboration between Contemporary Art League and The Artist’s Contract addresses a need in the wider Los Angeles artist community for short-term studio space.
How it works:
1. Artists can post “needs” and “offers” for short-term studio spaces on the virtual Bulletin Board.
2. Artists who find a match can use the Checklist for lenders and borrowers to discuss before entering an agreement.
3. Then they can fill out and sign the free Licensing Agreement template available through The Artist’s Contract for the temporary use of a studio. The Agreement is a tool for determining expectations in advance and protecting the interests of both parties, giving peace of mind, and making the process accessible to artists.
Why is this needed?
With rental costs soaring in Los Angeles, 60% of artists do not have a studio outside their home or one at all. We’ve heard stories from members from the artist community that temporary studio space is an under-recognized and under-fulfilled need: for studio visits—a crucial piece of networking and garnering opportunities for an art career; for artists who work in mediums that don’t typically require a studio; for artists whose resources or lifestyle don’t allow for a full studio lease or sublease.
Through Studio Loan, Artists who need a studio for a day, a week, or some other short term could borrow a studio from an artist who has one to lend.
Some things to note:
— This space is not designed to be a marketplace for studios for rent
— This space is not designed to promote long-term studio leases or sub-leases
— Contemporary Art League and The Artist’s Contract are not involved in, and assume no responsibility for: matchmaking, giving legal advice, negotiating terms, mediating disagreements, or providing other services besides hosting the bulletin board
— CAL and TAC are not liable for the results of using this bulletin board or the contract template
— These resources are not legal advice
*If you intend this to exceed 14 days, you should consider a sublease agreement, which is outside the scope of this project.
About
This project is a collaborative initiative from The Artist’s Contract and Contemporary Art League. We saw a need in our local Los Angeles community for affordable, short-term studio space. This project stems from our unified missions of serving the artist community from resources within our artist networks.
The Artist’s Contract
Visual Artists need tools and support to protect their rights and financial security. Contracts are a solution.
The Artist’s Contract website is a hub for free Legal Contracts for visual artists. It is part of a larger movement to establish better professional practices within the art world.
Contemporary Art League
Contemporary Art League is a trade cooperative building unity, solidarity, and equity among art workers in Los Angeles County.
Contemporary Art League (CAL) is one response to the public health and economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The uprisings against anti-Black racism in the summer of 2020; the deepening climate emergency; and the increased political divisiveness across all levels of government contributed to the call for a mutual aid organization capable of adequately identifying and directly addressing the needs of our community of art workers in Los Angeles County. CAL confronts longstanding systemic problems in our field that have been exacerbated by the confluence of these historic economic, public health, social, environmental, and civic conditions.
