Arts Alliance Survey Documents Need for Affordable Arts Space

JUNE 9, 2005--A survey of artists and arts and cultural organizations in Washtenaw County finds that the need for affordable arts space is real and is limiting the expansion and success of the local cultural community, according to the survey’s sponsor, the Arts Alliance of the Ann Arbor Area, a division of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce.

More than half of the artists and cultural organizations responding to the survey (58%) reported that their current space was insufficient for their needs. Only 16% of respondents indicated that they are working in a facility designed for the arts. Seventeen percent indicated that they work in a commercial building, 28% work from home (the majority being artists), and 28% use multiple venues, work in educational facilities, or rent space in other facilities, such as churches and child care centers.

Of those respondents who attempted to estimate their space needs, the total exceeded 50,000 square feet – roughly the size of a large supermarket. Nineteen respondents indicated that they are currently working on expanding or relocating.

Cost is clearly the biggest obstacle in artists’ and arts organizations’ search for appropriate space. Respondents who attempted to estimate what they could afford came up with amounts well below market rates, despite a general willingness to locate outside of the higher rent areas such as downtown Ann Arbor.

The lack of appropriate space limits artists in both the quantity and quality of work they can produce, as well as in their ability to take artistic risks by having room to try new ideas. Artists also indicated that limited space hinders collaborative work. Organizations that use borrowed space, such as theater or musical groups, reported that their ability to focus on artistic production was hampered as they spent time dealing with scheduling issues and searching for usable space. Inadequate space also limited these groups’ ability to involve the community through educational or volunteer opportunities.

The Arts Alliance will use the results of the survey to explore potential solutions to this problem. A likely next step will be working with local commercial developers, realtors, and others with available space to develop a database that can match space with users.

The survey, conducted in March/April 2005, was distributed to over 400 artists and arts and cultural organizations throughout the county. Of the 74 respondents, 55% described themselves as artists or craftspersons, 34% as producing or presenting organizations, and 30% as working in arts/cultural education (results total over 100% because some respondents choose multiple descriptors). Complete results of the survey and an analysis written by David Esau on behalf of the Arts Alliance’s Arts Space Committee, is available at www.annarborchamber.com. The survey was sponsored in part by Cornerstone Design, Inc. an Ann Arbor architectural firm providing creative, responsive architectural services for commercial and nonprofit clients since 1989.

The Arts Alliance of the Ann Arbor Area is a division of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce. It serves area artists and cultural organizations by promoting and celebrating the arts, by managing the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs mini-grants program, by connecting the arts and businesses, and by helping to address issues that affect the cultural community like the shortage of available arts space.

For more information on the Arts Alliance, contact its director, Tamara Real, at 734.214.2112.

To read the full Artist Space Survey, click here.