How Do I Operate My Facility?

Artscape projects operate on a cost-recovery model. Our major source of revenue is the affordable rents paid to us by our individuals, organizations and residential tenants. Our projects do not receive ongoing operational subsidy.

With over 20 years of experience in facility management, we know that artists and arts organizations make great tenants – Artscape typically experiences a minimal default rate and no loss due to vacancy as we are always able to immediately replace departing tenants with new ones. In a number of our properties we are able to also generate revenue through providing event management services to external organizations, gallery rental and programming such as arts markets. Please click here to review an Operational Budget Template.

Signing a lease is only the beginning of your relationship with your tenants. Artscape’s tenant services staff work with new tenants to ensure a smooth transition to their new space and community, and continue to provide ongoing liaison and trouble-shooting services for all of Artscape’s 860-plus individual and 56-plus organizational work and live/work tenants across 10 properties (including those in development).

Tenants are also given a copy of the Tenant Handbook for their facility at the time of signing their lease; a thorough review of the details contained within the handbook is provided by tenant services staff at that time. It is also important to keep on top of the day-to-day and ongoing maintenance of your property. At Artscape’s the properties team directly provides maintenance services and coordinates contracts with external specialist consultants and service providers.

The governance model that you choose for your project will need to reflect the complexity and diversity of your operations and the broad range of communities of interest that your project aims to serve. The most common types of organizations leading cultural/creative hubs and cultural facilities are, like Artscape, not-for-profit organizations led by an effective board of directors. Creating meaningful opportunities for community stewardship during the development phase and once the project is operational by involving the local community and the wider creative community in the decision-making process of the facility increases a sense of transparency in the organization. Your project may offer opportunities for tenants to become involved in some level of ongoing project governance, perhaps contributing to a programming or tenant selection committee or even your board of directors. These opportunities ensure that projects continue to be strongly rooted in and serve the needs of the artist and arts organizations who call them home.