SPACE

SPACE studios will only let vacant studios long term to fine arts practictioners who are registered with SPACE. At present registering is a one off payment of £15 and requires filling in a registration form, and an equal opportunities form, both of which can be downloaded as pdf files from this website. Payment must be sent by cheque payable to 'Art Services Grants Limited'. A current CV must also be submitted and application forms will not be processed without one.  

SPACE can accommodate a number of different arts disciplines in the studios and welcomes diversity, however SPACE does have to exercise discretion over certain studio practices that may be unsuitable for some studios. For example putting noisy work practice in a studio with thin partitions. Also certain studio buildings have received funding requiring the studios to be used for particular purposes and artists fulfilling the relevant criteria will be prioritised. For example the Sara Lane studios received funding for designer/makers and therefore practices such as furniture making, textiles and jewellery are prioritised on this site. At other studios the priority will be painters and sculptors, such as Victor House and Deborah House, because the studios are more suitable.

At present we do not have any soundproofed studios and are not able to let studios to artists working with audible sound. We do not allow the playing of music in the studios, although the use of headphones is fine. In most buildings we are also not able to accommodate arts practices requiring heavy use of telephone or visitors as this is disturbing to other site users and is a security risk. The studios are mostly communally based with shared front entrances, toilet and sink facilities and artists must be responsible and considerate to other studio users. All these factors are taken into account when allocating studios.

All studios are occupied until an artist gives notice. The notice period is one calendar month. This gives registered artists time to view the studio and if accepted as a tenant they will take over the studio on the following month.

Once an artist is REGISTERED they must keep checking the website under AVAILABLE STUDIOS to find out what is currently available and contacting SPACE on 020 8525 4330 for further details on how to view the studio you are interested in.

SPACE has always been a registered non-profit making educational charity. A small percentage of rental income goes towards educational arts-based community projects led by SPACE. As an arts charity SPACE is  eligible for mandatory rates relief on the premises it occupies.

Rental costs include building insurance, rates, maintenance, administration, service charges, water, refuse collection and other related direct costs. Electricity is billed separately according to use. Each studio is fitted with an individual checkmeter which is read and billed to the tenant 3 or 4 times a year.

How individual studio rents per square foot are calculated:
The price per square foot varies on each building (currently between £8-£14.50 per sq. ft per annum). For example if the studio measures 15ft x 20ft the square footage will be 300 sq ft (15 x 20 = 300 sq ft). If rent is charged at £9 per sq ft then the calculation is 300 (sq ft) x £9 = £2,700 per annum. Divide by 12 for monthly rent = £225 per month.

Each tenant is required to pay a minimum of one month’s rent as deposit and possibly a £15 charge for a credit search. There is also an administration charge of £50 for each tenancy (including tranferring studios). This charge does not apply to shares or sub-lets. Artists are strongly advised to sign official sharing and sub-let agreements (which are simple to do) as illegally occupying a studio could lead to an eviction notice for the tenant. (See Sharing and Sub-letting below).  It is also important to be able to pay rent regularly each month as arrears in rent lead to eviction from the studio plus a summons from the small claims court and interest on the sum owing.

Please note that all our buildings are leased and our landlords can and do increase the rents as their right and that therefore SPACE will make annual rent increases as and when appropriate to maintain trading solvency.

Although the choice of sharer or sub-lessee is left to the tenant, SPACE requires that all artists in studios are registered. Sharing or sub-letting your studio to an artist not registered with SPACE could lead to an eviction of the studio. Similarly, artists are advised that they must be registered before taking up a share or sublet. When sharing or sub-letting the tenant remains responsible for the studio and rent must be paid to the tenant who will pay to SPACE. It will be up to the tenant to renew or maintain sharing or sub-let agreements. If agreements lapse then sharers and sub-lessee are forfeiting their rights to remain in the studio. Keep a note of dates on sub-let agreements. Sharers are normally on licence agreements that are ongoing.