Projects

Vital Arts is a unique thought leader, resource, and partner for artists and a range of stakeholders involved with creative space issues. 

Current projects include:

Artist Space Trust: The Artist Space Trust (AST) is a groundbreaking program launched in partnership with Northern California Land Trust. AST is an innovative national model for equitably securing permanently affordable artist housing and creative space to stem the displacement of artists vulnerable to rising real estate costs. Utilizing methods developed by the community land trust movement, AST secures permanently affordable housing and workspace for artists by leveraging an intergenerational transfer of property — as a legacy from older owners to artist generations locked out by market forces, with paths for affordable ownership and control. www.artistspacetrust.org

Artist Displacement Prevention Grant: In 2024, we launched the Artist Displacement Prevention Grant. This emergency grant aims to stem the displacement of artists in the Bay Area who are chronically faced with systemic challenges such as eviction, housing issues, rent increases, or homelessness. Vital Arts works closely with local artists, arts organizations, and community groups to ensure the grant is distributed fairly and equitably. Currently, we prioritize Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ+ artists facing displacement. The emergency funds will help stabilize struggling artists and also aid us in prioritizing those most vulnerable in our community. 

The Bay Area Artist Census (BAAC) is a collaborative initiative rooted in equity and justice, connecting artists across medium, race, gender, class, ability, and region. This project will not only educate artists, organizations, foundations, and local governments on critical issues such as affordable housing, safe workspaces, healthcare, food justice, and workers' rights but also empower them. Our emphasis on community engagement and trust-building sets this project apart, aiming to empower artists through data gathering. It's more than data; it's a platform for artists to tell their stories, lead in designing vital metrics, fostering fiscal literacy, political education, resource building, coalition development, data sovereignty, and advocacy. Our ultimate goal is to build artists' capacity to engage with this type of work, equip them with resources, and provide them with concrete pathways toward deliverable solutions.

Workshops on fiscal literacy and political education will be held between working groups to provide interested participants with free education opportunities. These workshops aim to build tools, skills, and an understanding of artists’ regional landscape. 

The BAAC culminates in an inclusive online public survey and an interactive website featuring data mapping. This unique endeavor empowers artists to lead in both designing vital data metrics and determining solutions. The resulting interactive census report, shaped by artists, will be an invaluable resource for artists, organizations, foundations, and local governments and will be followed up with an artist-designed toolkit.

Resource and Information Navigation: Vital Arts advocates for artists within networks and coalitions that address local housing and economic issues. We keep up-to-date with successful models, legislation, and funding opportunities to promote learning, collaboration, and mutual support both locally and nationally. We offer connections and pro bono advice to artists, developers, city governments, agencies, property owners, and others looking for solutions and resources for creative real estate challenges.

Our efforts are bolstered by a dedicated team of volunteers with expertise in fields such as arts, real estate, financing, urban planning, construction management, and law. These experts generously share their knowledge, enhancing our capacity to offer guidance on equity, inclusion, artist housing, and addressing artists' needs.

• Resource Page: Our website features an actively updated resource page that offers comprehensive information and support for artists facing housing and displacement issues. This resource page includes details on financing and technical assistance, tenant resources, community land trusts, legal aid, home-buying programs, emergency support, and opportunities for professional development. It serves as a vital tool for artists to navigate the complexities of housing challenges and access essential resources for their creative and personal stability.

Advocacy and Education: Vital Arts works closely with regional and statewide agencies on legislative policies affecting artist housing and spaces. We propose and draft initiatives, meet with government officials, continually push for awareness of artists’ space issues, and suggest ways these agencies can help. With partners like Safer DIY Spaces, CAST, and Community Vision, among others, we seek to remove legal barriers for existing artists’ live/work spaces — while maintaining safety — and providing new options for housing developments. We share expertise with property owners and developers, explaining the benefits, options, and models for integrating artists' housing and workspace on site.

Coalition Building: Vital Arts actively builds coalitions with partners to achieve collective advocacy goals and pathways to address our artists' most pressing housing and displacement issues. Our work with California for the Arts, Civic Arts Commissions, and Bay Area City Councils highlights our commitment to addressing artist displacement at city, state, and national levels. We strengthen the state's creative sector by raising awareness about artists' needs while emphasizing their economic impact.

• Our work with partners supported the launching of legislation initiatives like CA Bill AB812, and we are currently developing toolkits for affordable artist housing near cultural zones and navigating tenant rights and protections under California law.

• During the pandemic, we joined a coalition of housing justice organizations to alert Bay Area artists and cultural workers to the Emergency Rental Relief Program, preventing the displacement of thousands of artists. 

• Artist Displacement and Action Meetings: Beginning in 2023, Vital Arts hosts artist displacement and action meetings, bringing together local stakeholders—including artists, foundations, and community groups—to discuss their work and its impact on Bay Area artists. These meetings foster dialogue, share resources, and develop collective strategies to protect the artist community from displacement. From these action meetings, we are building working groups as a throughline to bring on systemic change and provide collective recommendations.

Artists Equity Consulting: In addition to our advocacy and coalition-building efforts, Vital Arts provides consulting services to various organizations, sharing our expertise on housing and displacement issues. Our expertise resides in artists' needs for the most marginalized communities. We focus on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, LGBTQ+, disabled, and elder artists. We work closely with community groups, developers, city governments, and other stakeholders to address these challenges, develop sustainable solutions, and provide a holistic view of artists' conditions. 

Artist Displacement Data Survey: In 2022, Vital Arts conducted a region-wide survey of data on artist displacement, engaging dozens of agencies in sharing information. We’ve hosted meetings with artist-supporting funders and other agencies to discuss what we’ve learned with options for response. Our 2024 Bay Area Artists Census is a direct response to our findings; our arts ecosystem lacks data on the current conditions of artists in the Bay Area. 

Berkeley Artist Housing Task Force: Vital Arts is an active advisor and participant with this citizen group, bringing steady change to the City of Berkeley. We’ve supported documentation of the artist population and their housing needs through a city-wide survey by Cultural Affairs, secured funding for the inclusion of artist units in affordable housing development, drafted a new policy for artist certification in city housing, and ensured artists’ inclusion in the Housing Master Plan for 2013–2111. Our team is currently working on policies permitting the conversion of vacant retail spaces for artists’ use and allowing ground-floor artists to live/work as a retail option in new developments. Our efforts are being shared with other cities as potential models.

Past Projects:

The Opportunity Loan Fund (2023) provides short-term working capital to help artists’ housing and creative spaces embrace opportunities to support their sustainability, vitality, and impact. A small number of loans are available each year, pending the available amount of revolving capital. Interest-free loans have been made for up to $50,000 and must be repaid within 12–24 months. The OLF ended in November 2023.