Artists need studios as they need a space to work. The use of this studio differs with different media, for example the amount of space needed. A sculptor will most likely need more space than a painter who does small scale water colours as they need space to store their materials and build their work.
Our studio is a place of work and we produce artwork within our studio spaces. It is a place to generate ideas and also a place to exhibit work.
In Norwich every year we have an open studios event where participating artists open their studios to the public. I looked round Muspole Workshops were there is a cluster of artists working in small separate spaces. The artist Martin Mitchell has a studio there. His space is slightly larger than the other studios I saw because he specialises in printmaking and therefore needs room for a printing press, plates, woodcuts and raw materials and chemicals.
Whilst researching the costs of studios I read a report called London Digest a survey of artists studio groups and organisations in London March 2006 from a national survey conducted by Acme Studios in 2004 and I discovered that rents for studio spaces in London are most expensive nationally at average rent being £7.54 per square foot per year which is nearly £215 a month for an average size studio.
In contrast Muspole Workshops in Norwich rents start from £70 per calendar month and includes business rates, building maintenance, management costs and water charges. There are many benefits to working within a studio organisation including:
- Company; in can get lonely working by yourself.
- You can gain feedback from other artists.
- They can provide you with inspiration and artists to research.
- Group exhibitions can easily be organised.
- The studio must be kept clean and you are limited to your assigned space.
- Equipment might be required to be shared.
