ABOUT ARTSPACE
The Artspace Mission
Artspace’s mission is to create, foster, and preserve affordable space for artists and arts organizations. We pursue this mission through development projects, asset management activities, consulting services, and community-building activities that serve artists and arts organizations of all disciplines, cultures, and economic circumstances. By creating this space, Artspace supports the continued professional growth of artists and enhances the cultural and economic vitality of the surrounding community.
The Artspace Story
Finding and retaining affordable live/work space is an age-old problem for artists, painters, sculptors, dancers, and others who require an abundance of well-lit space in which to work. Many artists gravitate to old warehouses and other industrial buildings, but their very presence in an industrial neighborhood often acts as a catalyst, setting in motion a process of gentrification that drives rents up and forces the artists out.
This is precisely what happened in Minneapolis’ historic Warehouse District in the 1970s and led to the creation of Artspace in 1979. Established to serve as an advocate for artists’ space needs, Artspace effectively fulfilled that mission for nearly a decade. By the mid-1980s, however, it was clear that the problem required a more proactive approach, and Artspace made the leap from advocate to developer. Since then, the scope of Artspace’s activities has grown dramatically. Artspace is now America’s leading nonprofit real estate developer for the arts. In the last few years, Artspace has further expanded its mission to incorporate the planning and development of performing arts center, other arts facilities, and entire arts districts throughout the country.
Artspace Programs
Property Development : Development projects, which typically involve the adaptive reuse of older buildings but can also involve new construction, are the most visible of Artspace’s activities. Experienced project managers creatively finance and coordinate the construction of projects throughout the country. In communities across the nation, Artspace develops a mix of affordable live/work units, retail space, and administrative and performance space for arts organizations.
National Consulting : In addition to its roles as developer, owner, and manager, Artspace acts as a consultant to communities, organizations, and individuals seeking information and advice about developing affordable housing and work space for artists, performing arts centers, and cultural districts — usually, but not always, within the context of historic preservation.
Asset Management : Artspace owns or co-owns all the buildings it develops. To fulfill our mission, we strive to manage our properties so that they will be well-maintained yet remain affordable to the low- and moderate-income artists for whom they were developed in the first place. Revenues in excess of expenses are set aside for preventive maintenance, commons area improvements, and building upgrades.
Performance Property Management : To further the specific needs of its Twin Cities properties, in 1998 Artspace started its own subsidiary property management agency, Performance Property Management Company.
Resource Development : As a nonprofit that relies on contributed as well as earned income, Artspace cultivates relationships with the foundation and corporate philanthropic communities, as well as local, state, and federal governmental agencies, in communities across the country.
Sustainability in Practice at Artspace
At Artspace, we have come to realize that green building and sustainable development are at the very core of our mission to create, foster and preserve affordable space for artists and arts organization. Green building is a whole-building and systems approach to design and construction. It employs building techniques that minimize environmental impacts and reduce the energy consumption of buildings while contributing to the health and productivity of its occupants.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design System (LEED) is a third-party certification program, and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Artspace Everett Lofts in Everett, Washington was developed in accordanace with LEED standards, and as part of the project a "Green Living Guide" was created for use by residents. Although some of the material is specific to the Artspace Everett Lofts, there is a great deal of helpful information relevant to all our tenants and others in pursuit of a more environmental friendly lifestyle.
Download a copy of our Green Living Guide here
A copy of our sustainable protocol can be downloaded here.
The U.S. Green Building Council Certificate of Membership.
Photos Top to Bottom: Artspace Sailboat Bend Lofts, photo: Robin Hill Photography; Artspace Hiawatha Lofts; Frogtown Family Lofts
