How it works
We partner with property owners and developers to identify vacant or transitional spaces — those waiting for their next permanent tenants. These spaces become short-term creative workspaces for artists, offering freedom for performing or making while keeping the property active and cared for.
It has long been demonstrated that artists catalyze property value growth and urban renewal. Their communities struggle to endure economic turbulence and are frequently priced out of the neighborhoods they have helped develop. This initiative honors their power and offers them as much freedom as possible to foster their careers and magnify their cultural impact.
We welcome artists of any practice and medium, matching them with properties by the amenities they require for their practice. We look for the scrappy artists, those dedicated to their practice who stand the most to gain from this offering, and those who will responsibly take care of the property, and treat it with utmost respect.
Shifting Studios’ moves the tides for a new wave of creative zeitgeist. Our project not only fosters the Bay Area’s role in the global art world, it offers an opportunity to attract rising talent from around the country and the globe.
1. Conducting a site visit
Property brokers and/or owners can schedule an initial site visit with us on our website. We will then tour the facility and itemize a list available ammenities and site conditions. This will then determine the type of artist who could best utilize the space and estimate the cost of any construction needs to make it useable.
2. Matching Artist with Space
Through our artist network, we thoughtfully pair each space with an artist or collective whose practice aligns with the site’s character, light, and scale. Whether they’re a painter, dancer, photographer, or installation artist, we curate each placement with intention — creating a natural synergy between artist and environment.
3. contracts
Like a coworking space, Shifting Studios sign the lease with the hosting property and selected artists will be sublicensee. Artists sign a no-cost agreement that clearly states the temporary nature of their property and that it may not be used for habitation. Artists will be required to obtain Insurance in their name.
4. Activation
The studios being temporary and free, we will mostly make use of the property’s current state. In certain instances, basic construction and repairs may be needed. Once the site is usable, artists may move their work in. Please consider donating to Shifting Studios to cover the costs of these touch-ups.
5. shift
We aim to secure a minimum of 10 months of property use for our artists. However, when the property’s next phase begins — whether property owners secure permanent tenants or due to redevelopment — we transition the artist out. Each activation creates a living trace that creative expression is the true engine of a city’s reincarnation.