Eastside Culture Crawl Assessing Artists' Studio Opportunity
Possible Non-Profit Studio Space Opportunity in New Development
VANCOUVER, MAY 25, 2012
The Eastside Culture Crawl Society announced today that it is
circulating a Request for Proposals to assess the possible creation of 25,000 square feet of artist studio
space as part of a new development slated for the 900 Block of East Hastings Street.
In 2011, the Eastside Culture Crawl Society looked at models that could help secure stable, affordable,
suitable studio space for artists in Vancouver. “This process showed us that there is broad community
support for the Crawl to spearhead such a project,” says Jeffrey Boone, the Society’s executive director.
The proposed development on East Hastings Street is an opportunity to create artist studio space in a
new mixed-use building. The building would allow commercial and light industrial use at the street
level and below, with residences in the upper floors. Because the project is in the very early stages of
development and the zoning is appropriate, the facility could be built specifically to meet the needs of
studio-based artists.
The Society has received funding from the City of Vancouver Cultural Infrastructure Grant Program to
assess this opportunity. The Request for Proposals is being circulated to firms with experience in
assessing the financial and governance requirements related to such a project, as well as preparing a
risk analysis of developing and operating a non-profit studio at the site.