By G.E.S. Gazette staff
The RiNo Art District nonprofit announced on May 19 that it signed a three-year lease to manage the 14 artist studios at 3040 Blake St., formerly known as the Studios on Blake.
The newly coined “RiNo Art District Studios on Blake” will provide more than 5,000 square feet of affordable studio space for local artists, according to the nonprofit.
“As an organization, we’re committed to making sure RiNo is and remains a place where art is made,” Tracy Weil, co-founder and executive director of RiNo Art District, said in a prepared statement. “As Denver has grown and changed, affordability has become a major challenge for local artists. We are grateful to be able to continue the work Sonia Danielsen started when she originally set aside these affordable spaces for artists in the Bindery on Blake.”
In 2017, Danielsen moved the studios from the Bindery across the street to the Backyard on Blake complex, where they leased space with the goal of keeping it deeply affordable to the artist community. Since that time, Danielsen and her husband have overseen the management of the studios which have been home to more than 45 local artists, according to the nonprofit.
“Keeping these studios affordable was a big priority for us, but the reality is that it was cost- and time-prohibitive for us to lease and manage on our own,” Danielsen said. “We’re thrilled to be working with RiNo to preserve these maker spaces for the community and to continue working alongside their team to fund these spaces.”
The artist studios range from 200-250 square feet and offer ample natural light, high ceilings, and temperature-controlled environments. Artists have 24/7 access to their space, free Wi-Fi, and use of the full kitchen and slop sink.
The nonprofit stated the studios will be rented on a month-to-month basis for between $600 and $650 a month. They will be stewarded by Keep RiNo Wild, the art district’s fundraising nonprofit arm, in collaboration with the RiNo Business Improvement District.
This is the latest in a series of major efforts RiNo has undertaken to increase opportunities for local creatives and expand access to the arts, including the creation of the RiNo Mural Program, the establishment of eight affordable artist spaces at RiNo ArtPark in partnership with RedLine Contemporary Art Center, and the just-announced Art RiNo festival in September, which celebrates art in all its forms.
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