In 1996, the City of Vancouver created its first live/work Studio Award. This studio, provided free of rent, recognized distinguished artists like Teresa Marshall, Steven Shearer, Myfanwy MacLeod and Kevin Schmidt and enabled them to explore their creative practice.

In 1999, a second studio was added (made available at below market rents) and this year, two additional studios have been made available.

These four studios will be leased to Vancouver-based, low-income professional artists for a 3 year term beginning February 1, 2009.

The city will accept applications until Nov. 21.

"It's a small but important gesture," said Jacquie Gijssen, senior cultural planner with the city. "We can actually help with the tool kit that we have without people arguing about how much money it costs or doesn't cost."

The city has secured live/work spaces for artists through community amenity contributions that developers make when the city allows them increased building density or relaxed zoning. It owns two of the spaces and leases the other two for $1 a year. They're all in artist live/work buildings with two near Cambie, one near Main and the largest on East Pender near Knight Street. The Artist Studio Award Program was initiated by the city in 1996, and the Contemporary Art Gallery picks the jurors and coordinates the selections.

Professional artists in any discipline can apply for the award. The winners will be announced mid-December and can move in Feb. 1.

The jury of local arts and culture professionals seeks artists who are serious professionals, not hobbyists, Gijssen said. Although most, if not all, of those selected in the past have been emerging artists, senior artists can also apply.

Applicants must show financial need. Three of the four spaces are studios and one is a one bedroom. To qualify to win a studio, artists much prove they earn $29,000 or less per year, and to win the one bedroom, they must earn $32,500 or less.

The first place winner is awarded a free studio apartment for three years and the other recipients will pay $375 a month.

Sculpture artist, Rhonda Weppler, paid $325 a month for her 450-square-foot studio at Cambie and West Eighth Avenue for the past three years. The artist live/work building also includes a workshop. Previously, she rented small studios on the East Side.

"A lot of studios in Vancouver are in bad areas because it's cheap rent," Weppler said. "It was nice to be in a place that you could walk downtown and I wasn't scared to be alone at night or walking home at night."

When her tenancy expires and the end of this year, Weppler expects to move to an artist's space in Railtown Studios or in The ARC on Powell Street at the foot of Commercial Drive.

"Even though it's in a bad area it's around $1,000 a month for rent," she said.

Myfanwy MacLeod, who won a space in 2002, recently won a juried international competition held by the city to create the first Olympic and Paralympic legacy art commission for the main plaza in the Olympic Village in Southeast False Creek.

More info at the Office of Cultural Affairs Awards

Vancouver Courier