January 12, 2007
Living the Starving Artist Life
I'm writing on behalf of a special friend I met who is wanting to become a photographer in NYC. Well I have worked with her much and have landed her a few jobs, but how in the heck do you find a decent place to live on a "starving artist budget?" What if any links, resources, and/or advice would you be willing to share to help us find some low budget housing that is safe and friendly and will allow my friend to get on her feet with her new career.
Not only is that a struggle that every starving artist is facing, but also those who are just trying to pay the average housing cost in a city where rents are skyrocketing. As many of our friends and colleagues have had to do - get a day job and work on your art at night so you can pay the rent.
However, we did come across the Artist Help Network, which lists organizations in several cities that provide studio and housing space for artists. They also have a listing of books that may provide more suggestions. Because NYC is such a thriving artist city, we'd imagine that there would be a lot of competition for whatever low-cost artist housing would be out there. Fractured Atlas is a site dedicated to artists and arts organizations, and we were able to find some more suggestions there. However, the information in that particular thread had not been updated in two years. Their suggestion was to look for "80/20" buildings, which provide 20% of apartments in new luxury buildings available to low income tenants. This offers tax exemptions and certain zoning restrictions for the developers as an incentive.
As a starving artist, she would probably qualify for low-income housing. Information on NYC affordable housing can be found at the New York City Housing Authority. A lot of questions about NYC housing can also be found at the New York City Rent Guidelines Board. Another resource in general for artists in New York is the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).
Our other suggestion? Move farther outside of Manhattan with a lot of roommates and your rent will get cheaper. Just be wary of the Craigslist scams. Anyone else have suggestions for surviving the city on a starving artist salary?
Photo by Terrance Fell
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"Anyone else have suggestions for surviving the city on a starving artist salary?"
Yes, get a real 9-5 job like everyone else.
Agree with #1. The only artists that don't have to get 9-5 jobs are the ones that aren't starving.
You could try to get a day job that would put you in contact with the art scene-like working at a gallery or being an artist's assistant or working at an art store. Or work for a design company or for an advertising agency. Or get a day job that allows you to daydream a bit and not come home totally exhausted and too tired to work on what you really care about. But yeah, get a day job-it sucks (sort of-if you were at home working on your art 24/7, that might not be the healthiest thing and a job will get you out and interacting with people a bit).
Also, if you really want to save money...move to the Bronx. Seriously. You would get a ton more space for less money so you would be more likely to have room to work and maybe some money leftover. It seems like some artists are starting to head out to the South Bronx a bit but the northern parts just west of the zoo are nice too. Another random suggestion.
i know i can't STAND that starving artist BS! if you don't want to get a paying job, don't complain about it!
Actually, all the working artists I know DO have day jobs. Most people who move here also have creative endeavors on the side, so the term "starving artist" covers a pretty broad range. I think anyone with a low income deserves a crack at low income housing.
People love to bitch about trust fund and starving artists...a city can't survive on investment bankers alone.
This is more of a compliment than an insult to artists, writers, etc. - I've often been thankful that I'm really just not all that creative. I can't imagine being a talented artist and, yet, unable to afford my rent. That sucks.
As for the starving artist nay-sayers, many, many of our most respected artists of yesteryear lived on the fringes and were broke.
I would say the first step would be for her to get off her ass and do shit herself, instead of having her friend find work and apartments on her behalf. Because honestly if you don't have some hustle, you're not going to make it as an artist (or as anything else, for that matter).
you could look into artist live work spaces at places like flux factory www.fluxfactory.org
get a fucking job, hippie.
NYC artists have to be tough. Most artists suck it up and get a job while struggling to make their art. In many ways, the added pressure helps the creative process. I'm amazed at the amount of art people produce here, all the while struggling to pay the bills.
Consider the amount of art coming out of NYC versus a place like, say, Amsterdam or Berlin, which are a lot more artist-hospitable. Why isn't there more art coming out of those "artist havens"? It's probably because they aren't feeling the burn of survival like those of us here in NYC.
Learn these five simple words -
"May I take your order?"
Move to Jersey City, it is like Williamsburg but nicer and cheaper, and you get grant money and support from nj pro arts
Craigslist
Move to Brooklyn
Roommates
get used to cold spaghetti and shoprite beer
learn to like cold spaghetti and shoprite beer or move back to bugtussel and deliver for Dominos
Temping is a better bet than fast food ("may I take your order"). Nice atmosphere, better pay, and you actually learn truly useful skills as a temp, including all those customer service skills you gain in the food industry. Just beware of places that will only pay you $10/hr (for shame). In this city, that is a ridiculous pay scale. Even $15/hr is cutting it close. Also, yes, getting a roommate/housemate is a good option for saving the $$. I do both (temp and have a housemate) while doing my art.
I like what you say, #10 Arturo van Artisan. I'm a musician here in NYC, and it's challenging to make it just on your art. You do what you can, though.
Sorry to see all the hatin' on the artists, though.
ya I have to say that, as world-weary and cynical as it sounds "find a job" is a good solution. but I think artists have a lot of options here in nyc. freelance! painters, sculptors w/construction skills, photogs, whatever. there are freelance opportunities that will string you along, and may pay well. there are a lot of "housing" options that, if you are flexible (and not trust-funded) you can work a weird schedule, get cheap rent, and space to work. you probably have to live w/someone.
obviously, a job takes time away from yr art, so if, like myself, you 9-6 it (commute makes is 8-7), get a job that does not follow you home or stress the balls (or tits) off of you. if you get health insurance at that job, plus vaca + sick days, you can pour that free time (and money) into yr work without sweating about yr food.
or start dating/marry someone who is "independently wealthy" or just has a good job and can handle yr artsiness (the latter is a common situation in nyc, by my experience)
Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, etc...with roommates. Do cocktailing a few nights a week at a club in West Chelsea.
Starving-artists need to use their creative skills when it comes to living on the cheap in New York City. All the artists of the 1980's moved out to Brooklyn when it was no-man's land. In 1988, people would have laughed at you if you said you were moving to Williamsburg or Park Slope. Artists need to think along similar lines: Bronx is a great idea. There ARE safe areas and one could definitely get a nice BIG apartment for cheap.
The other thing the starving-artist needs to learn is how to live on the cheap. Is there a blog for that kind of thing? If not, there needs to be one.
I don't understand why starving artists have money to drink beer but no money for paying rent...
a "starving photographer" eh? just take a crappy photo, give it a title that doesn't relate to the picture at all, upload it to flickr, and bam! YOUR WORK IS ON AN "EXTRA, EXTRA" POST.
To all of the Vitriolics,
Most of the "starving artists" that I know (including myself) have jobs. What makes them starving artists is working just enough to survive...and do their art thing, whatever form that may be. Rather then spending time at a job they hate to buy lots of fancy things, they work enough to live on a tiny budget, and are happy because they're doing their thing.
My advice, actually you shouldn't follow this advice, but it is cheap. Empty loft space...instead of walls, string and fabric to divide space between roommates. cheap, barely provides privacy. cheap.
Thank god I have since moved into a new place.
Good Luck.
don't rule out the bronx. an earlier post said to consider it, and you can find large apartments in pre-war buildings. there's also a non profit co-op complex in the van cortlandt area that is well maintained. it's amalgamated houses. the costs are tied into income and tenants are screened. of course you have to have some income to qualify, but if you have the income you can get a very decent apt (huge by manhattan standards).
p -
would you consider an apartment with walls a "fancy thing"
if so, i dont mind working a job i hate so i can have one.
uh two words.. outer boroughs.
Move to Philly. Seriously. Or some other affordable, artist friendly town; NYC is neither. (Chicago, Austin, Twin Cities, and Portland come to mind). I moved to Brooklyn 5 years ago after finishing my MFA in film, and haven't pursued art since because I've been too busy and tired just commuting to my day jobs in Times Square (from Ditmas Park in Brooklyn, one of the few places where I could afford to buy a co-op) and paying the bills.
I hear from friends who also want to escape New York that ten years ago NYC was great for artists, but that it's really taken a bad turn. Between the insanely overpriced real estate, overcrowding, and new hoardes of rich folk (like so many of these commenters who just obviously hate artists), it's no longer a good option. I personally have already bought an investment property in Philly and will be moving there as soon as my husband is done with his Masters degree.
Are you a hot chick?
I've been married to a starving artist for 20 years. There have been high points and lows as far as the income he makes goes. I do know this, his mind isn't like a "normal" persons mind. At times when he has taken a "real job" to pay the bills his creative flow is lost completely....he feels things more than the average person. This can be great for creating his paintings, but difficult to live at times, it's a sacrafice I'm willing to put up with. I can work a job I hate and grin and bear it like everyone else by just sort of desensitizing my feelings. He's unable to do that. I'm not saying all artists are ruled by their emotions, but mine certainly is...and sometimes it's a beautiful thing.