Studio Office and Studio Commissioner | kulturwerk des bbk berlin

The Studio Office in the kulturwerk of the bbk berlin is the central contact point for all artists living in Berlin and looking for a studio–regardless of whether they are members of the bbk. We provide advice on finding a studio and holding on to existing studios.

The Studio Office has made a long-term commitment to securing spaces for the production of visual art in Berlin and to keeping them affordable for artists, even in the face of gentrification.

08.11.2021 | NEW SUBSIDY DIRECTIVE for the studio rental program

We are pleased to inform you that the new subsidy directive for the studio rental programme came into force on 1 November 2021. The guideline was agreed between the Studio Office in the Kulturwerk of the bbk berlin and the Senate Department for Culture and Europe and replaces the previous guideline from 1993.

How to masterplan the creative city?

Besides concrete guidelines (master plans, white papers,...) for politics and planning of politics and administrations, we need a) a resilient civil society and b) trend-setting pilot projects in order to create sustainable structures beyond the political business cycle - this is the quintessence of my lecture in Bristol in October this year. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JV0MngSJCGs&feature=emb

ART CITY LAB 2 / new spaces for art

The studio commissioner and raumlaborberlin in cooperation with: Artprojekt & Gewobag under the patronage of: Katrin Lompscher, Senator for Urban Development and Housing: How can Berlin's artists be kept in the city? Central findings and demands of the publication:

White Paper on studio funding

The White Paper on Studio Funding is the result of a six-month process initiated by the studio commissioner for Berlin at the Kulturwerk des bbk berlin to address the issue of the future of studio funding in greater depth together with the relevant players in the production, maintenance and use of work spaces, especially for the visual arts.

01.12.2014 | ART CITY LAB - NEW SPACES FOR ART

Artistic production and the spaces available for this within the urban fabric have always played a valuable role in urbanization processes. Art City Lab takes Berlin as an example of such developments.

Notification of the need of a studio and studio newsletter

Every two months, the studio newsletter provides information about studios and studio apartments currently offered by the studio support programme.

Studio offers

Here you will find studios from the Berlin studio support programme as well as studios, studio apartments and other offers from throughout the region and the rest of Germany on the open market.

We wish you every success in finding a suitable space to produce your artwork in!

How to apply – application documents

The current call for applications and application process is only conducted digitally. Since November 11, 2020, you make use of an application portal. Applications can be made by all professional visual artists living in Berlin and who do not exceed the income limits (studio rental programme).

The studios and studio apartments will be allocated by an independent advisory board of artists and art experts according to the criteria of
a) professionalism and b) urgent need

Please be sure to plan sufficient time for the application process.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a studio? // What are the criteria? // What is my income? // What are the income limits? // Who decides on my application? // What do I need to know about rental contracts for studios? // What do I need to know about rental contracts for studio flats? // How do I get the WBS for studio flats?

Studio Advisory Committee

The independent Studio Advisory Board is appointed by Berlin Senate's Department for Culture and Europe for a term of two years. The majority of the members of the Studio Advisory Board are artists. It consists of nine voting members and up to nine representatives.

White Paper I+II on studio funding

The White Paper I+II (2019+2021) are cooperatively developed catalogues of proposals to make concrete and constructive suggestions for the development of studio and workspace funding that is both secure in the long-term as well as affordable. The primary goal is to ensure Berlin's global significance as a location for the production of art in the long-term.

ART CITY LAB 2 / NEW SPACES FOR ART

How can it be ensured that Berlin's artists remain in the city? How does a housing association work with an initiative or a private developer? How do you close the gap between financial needs and funding programmes? How can places for art production have a positive effect on the neighbourhood? The Studio Commissioner for Berlin , Dr. Martin Schwegmann, and raumlaborberlin developed and discussed these questions together with the city-owned housing association Gewobag, the private developer Artprojekt and TTI in a cooperative process with artists, sustainability banks, cooperatives, Senate departments, members of parliament, scholars and planners.

ART CITY LAB / NEW SPACES FOR ART

Artistic production and the spaces available for this within cities have always played a valuable role in urbanization processes. Art City Lab takes Berlin as an example of such developments. After the Fall of the Berlin Wall, artists had great opportunities to occupy and claims vacant lots and houses, whereas at the present they are increasingly pushed out of the city.
Art City Lab examines and documents alternative architectural and organisational approaches to the creation of affordable studio space by analysing a variety of prefabricated building systems and how they can be combined, adapted, and condensed into new studio prototypes.

Initiative - IKOKA

The Berlin Initiative for Artistic Work Places, IKOKA, was founded for the preservation and development of places for artistic work in Berlin.

2020 ART STUDIOS Master Plan

The 2020 ART STUDIOS Master Plan was created to secure and create studios as workspaces for visual artists.