Spaces for Spaces: The Value of Space for Artistic Work - conversation 2
25/01/2025, 15-19:30h
Glasgow Studios, 1070 Brussels
A second public conversation in the series Spaces of Spaces, currently focusing on 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.
This afternoon Glasgow Studios, the approach we choose to think about value is self-organisation and relations with owners. We will have testimonials and share 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 will 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 will 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.).
Initiative: Jesse van Winden, Brussels Artist-Run Network
Facilitator: Katinka De Jonge
Artistic interventions: Elisabeth Woronoff, Tarek Jnib, who share their artistic research on Studio Citygate and Grand Hospice respectively, asking why these communities seem to fail to become communities.
15:00 Doors open
15:30-16:50 Artistic interventions to nourish our thinking
Elisabeth Woronoff: Londinium (film, 2022)
A reflection on dissolutions of communities and destruction of spaces. Several languages ââspeak of several ruptures and aim to invent a multiplicity of possible reconstructions.
Tarek Jnib: Le temple du projet (film in development, working title)
Wonderful! In the heart of Brussels, the Grand Hospice is starting a new life as a temporary occupation. 250 people from a wide range of social backgrounds gather within its walls to work on social values and solidarity. A private company is naturally responsible for ensuring the cohesion of this large-scale project. Wonderful?
+ Q&A
16:50-17:00 Break
17:00-19:00 Conversation
We share & collect experiences from (shared) studio spaces around various values. We propose the following umbrella themes (but not limited to):
- Community, collectivity and sharing
- Resilience and self-determination (self-organisation?)
- Sustainability (duration, price, etc)
Per theme we collect:
- Good/bad practices
- References (to books, quantitative and qualitative research, links, films etc)
Notes of these experiences and references will be collectively taken in a shared document, which will be projected in the space. Excerpts of the document will be used in function of the research of BARN, and might be published online or offline as part of this. There is a possibility to not publish and/or anonymize (parts of) the information.
19:00 Drinks & soup
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
This event is a follow-up on a first, introductory conversation on the value of artistic workspaces, organized on 13/09/2024 at Komplot in collaboration with Kunstenpunt. 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.
katinkadejonge@gmail.com
jesse.van.winden@jubilee-art.org
Notes of the conversation
Three themes: collectivity and community, resilience and self determination, sustainability
I can’t work if I don’t have my own space
Being part of this space costs individual energy, but we do it for the collective. Not necessarily for the ‘shiny city’. Or for the boss – commercial management companies. Some of them require ‘active’ members to organise events for an audience.
The non-profit is responsible. But the renters may feel as responsible for the space. In others, it’s more hierarchical. It’s easier for people to leave, easier for people not to engage in tasks. Charte, teams with rotating members: interesting to learn new competences. In the beginning, it was just one artist, and it was too much for him.
Tarek said that you need a lot of energy for a common space it is weird and exhausting to give that energy to palipali,
gentrification through this visual of shiny artists, on the energy of artists
energy is going to a boss (pali pali)
at See U we didnt pay rent only expenses to the government - but events that are organised are also giving energy to something that makes look good the management companies who operate with empty words
at Glasgow studios how is the asbl organised: 3 ppl are the board for the statut and the rent of everybody is a membership to the asbl - the people of the statut are not in chsrge – collectively organised.
Do you feel as responsible as the board for the space? Yes
Other places its the people on the board who take decisions.
board is more responsability, others can leave if they give notice.
In Glasgow Studios this is why we have a charte. we dont want the responsibility to be on one person so we work with teams. It’s good sometimes to change the teams, circulate so everyone has access to everyone. Admin now is done by 5-6 ppl doing the admin. It was one person but then it got too much for him so a group took over but he shared the knowhow and also the notes. Google drive is accessible by everybody so its transparent who paid etc.
I’m in MAX and its a bit similar situation. We are renting and not anti squat, we rent from iMAL and the situation is not so good, they see us as a renter and bills can be complicated. Invoices that they make us pay are not always clear. Board is very active, but we also have an assembly and during the assembly tasks are delegated by the board. Teams are task based.
We have writers and researchers but also ceramic workshop. We are 22 ppl.
We have a residency, we didnt want to have walls but one parson wanted it so we have a white cube, and since he’s gone there is a residency but also used a presentation space. Katinka did her phd presentation there for example.
ABCB assemblage charbonnage - sharing events, discussions. this is another part of the activities.
At Glasgow all space is tied to someone’s space so it is hard to do something extra, at MAX there is some flexible space to allow for other functions.
At my former studio, Le Sceptre (burned down 2024), the rent was raised a lot every year. It burnt down six months ago. I moved to Anderlecht.
What is the up and down sides?
I’m part of organising Manchester space - Myriam van Imschoot and the YouYou Group. The space is available for an unknown amount of time. Decided to open up the space for residencies. Three peiple are organising on a voluntary basis but it also lean we have priority access. We host peiple who come, cosy feeling that is home-like. Its heartbreaking it wont be there in some months.
Location of Manchester space started to host artist-run initiatives in 2016. Predecessor of Level Five was there, moved out because the building was going to be renovated. Decoratelier, same thing. Newpolyphonies, a.pass, Hot Pot. ‘Saved by the bell’ for those who don’t plan ahead too much/decide to take the risk of staying longer.
Every time right to use the building is extended. Now until March, but it mifht be extended again.
Artist-Commons has 34 members who share two-floor space for performance (dance floor) and many other practices. To share it, we decided for a dividing mechanism based on time rather than space. Sustainability: transfering of power within the collective. Last summer, we didn’t have a space and we were only about 5 active members. When we had 3 spaces (Studio Citygate, VDH above Bonnefooi, Rue Theodore Verhaegen where then came Cunstlink and now is Rez Gauche) we were 80 members. Covid had a lot of impact. Now with the new space we are 34 members – need to redistribute power again – for instance, who has access to the bank account? Before: horizontal organisation with very few people – how to remain horizontal and keep the spirit if you’re forced to change? Membership group (was also the concentration of power) decided that there should be different working groups. We were doubting to prescribe this model, but now it does work.
Collective document to be able to pass on rules and values to new members
When we had 3 spaces we never had to say no to anyone/anything. With this smaller space we need to say no, still very eclectic: open call with values. Not being dependent on one driving force (founding person).
Change: people are scared about change. I personally don’t know if I want to have a long-term space. Rigidity <->stability. What do I need in this moment?
Are people ready to engage beyond their monthly rent?
Laura Basterra. Was part of See U before. Now studio in basement of her apartment. It’s cool to have a community, misses that. One reason to join these events of BARN.
Clara: artist interest in the property market – l’Ambrassade between the Russia and US embassies. I’m interested in the topic of the value of working space. It was me who opened that space. We are 15, there is no big ambition to be a collective, it’s very practical. We select people who are very kind. People then help with tasks. It’s organised with 4 people to structure things but all people are doing all they should.
Roger – privilege of having a studio at a.pass. (a.pass was selling their stuff because they needed to move out of their fromer building. This had great advantages for other collectives – l’embrassade, Manchester space, etc).
Katinka - researcher and artist. collaborating with Jesse to organise these events. Framework of values that constitute these spaces. Phd in collective art practices. I’m interested in collective art practices also from that perspective.
Eszter: theatre maker. Part of AC and BARN. Got in a burnout when collective studio in Cork was demolished. There was a film made about that.
Elisabeth: made Londinium project about the ‘soon to be demolished’ Studio Citygate. Then moved to Au Charbon (not a collective but an ASBL). Initiated a project for Continental – sustainable business model benefitting artists by incorporating horeca and other commerces.
Nikolaj: Studio at Level Five Van Overbeke – soon to be stopped. There’s a working group working on looking for a new place. Questioning what can be the role of artist. What is sustainability? What democratic processes? How not to dwell? I was curious about Glasgow studios. What next steps? How to do something concrete after, probably also to do with economic sustainability.
Jesse: I’m part of the core team of Barn. I started working as a coordinator of Jubilee when it was still in the WTC. When we needed to move with all occupants of WTC-25 we asked: can we come together to consider what we can do in a more permanent way? The project Permanent was born but it could not act fast enough. We moved to the formed Actiris building: Level 5 was a merging of two spaces also moving from Manchester, in an earlier configuration of the Manchester Space where New Polyphonies, a.pass and until last year also Decoratelier and Hot Pot have been. An ongoing eviction of interesting collectives and initiatives, to ‘make space’ for you never know what...supervised by regional services. Permanent project was inspired Community Land trust - it stopped because of internal frictions and because the main targeted building did not become available. This is now only alive as research. Actiris building was (mis)managed by Entrakt (water leaks and other maintenance didn’t get fixed, false invoices, no transparency about finances, lack of communication, overall sense of exploitation) got stopped. Meyboom moved to the Congress Station, support from VGC to make the space suitable. The contract was temporary and only 3 years and now we are in Anderlecht in Rue Crickx - too small space that we want to move out of. We consciously took this to find something better for more people and public events. We are in limbo, we can work but not ideal.
Laura: why is this temporary occupation so common?
Eli: because owners see possibilities while waiting for their renovation permits – sometimes they need to make changes again so it can last a long time.
Clara: because of speculation. Theres a Belgian law that says that one needs to pay surplus value taxes between what you buy and sell when you’re reselling within 5 years. No tax if you’re selling after 5 years. It reduces but doesn’t cancel speculation, because they still sell a lot.
Artists are the easiest group to put in and kick out. When you accommodate artists, you look good to municipalities. Artist presence invites other presence.
Can we ask for a policy that protects my time there, instead of always being unsure of how long I can stay?
Temporary occupation management companies sign a contract with the owners stipulating the goal and the modalities. Also how much you pay, what are the charges, etc. Eduoard of Pali Pali learned the trick at See U, understood that there was money to be earned.
Why don’t we start a non-profit that does what Palio Pali and Entrakt do, but then well done? We’d need a starting budget/cashflow to be able to adapt a space, to pay for maintenance and perhaps a couple of people working. Smart pays about 10% of LaVallée’s budget...see what they can do with that. Also because they’re there long term of course
It’s not going well, apparently Smart wants to stop LaVallee
<-> Eli’s proposal for Continental
This event has been organised with the kind support of the Anderlecht Culture Service <3
