Spaces for Spaces
A series of conversations and artistic interventions. Currently, we focus on the value of workspace, working towards a ‘framework of competing values’ for space for artistic work in the city
During these conversations organised by the Brussels Artist-Run Network, we discuss and imagine the value of artistic workspaces in an urban context. Spaces for artistic development and production are often invisible and undervalued in contrast to exhibition spaces. In cities where property prices are rising and rents are increasing, the value of physical space is often only perceived in financial terms.
What’s at stake?
Artistic workspaces in Brussels are under growing pressure due to the lack of financial support and the increasing reliance on temporary use of real estate. This leads to precarity, desperate searches, and competition. Creative spaces thrive on the networks and relationships that they foster, which are vital for the development and collaboration of artistic work. However, the temporary nature of these spaces often disrupts these networks, affecting the entire ecosystem and leading to a cycle of instability.
The concept of ‘temporary use’, while seemingly a solution, is problematic as it often prioritizes the financial interests of property owners and developers over the needs of people. This model results in significant investments of time, energy, and money from the artists, only for them to face eviction within a few years.
To solve these issues, there is a need for long-term solutions that secure affordable, stable spaces for cultural and socio-cultural initiatives. This requires better government policies, for instance prioritizing long-term non-profit use of empty buildings for artists.
Framework of values
A first, introductory conversation on the value of artistic workspaces was organized on 13/09/2024 at Komplot in collaboration with Kunstenpunt. A second conversation at Glasgow Studios on 25/01/2025, the approach we choose to think about value is self-organisation and relations with owners. With testimonials and sharing of experiences about setting up and running a self-organised collective workspace and its day-to-day operation: how can we collectively manage and preserve workplaces? We explore the key principles that determine these relationships, such as conventional rent vs temporary occupation, own property, legal structures, direct relationship with an owner, etc. We test the assumption that there is less occasion for self-organisation if the owner assumes a management role (Entrakt, Pali Pali, Arty Farty, Creative District, etc.). Click here for the notes of Spaces for Spaces: The Value of Space for Artistic Work - conversation 2
Part of a series working towards a ‘framework of competing values’ for space for artistic work in the city. You are invited to continue contributing to this open process: contact us! BARN initiates this series because of the need to defend the value of such spaces on our own terms - rather than merely in terms of money.
