Report: NYC Artists an Endangered Breed
It’s an old story, but let’s hear it again: Up go the rents, out go the artists. A new report from the Research Center for Arts and Culture at Columbia’s Teachers College makes the case that New York real estate values are driving artists to lower-cost cities and that the city’s cultural capital is endangered,…
It’s an old story, but let’s hear it again: Up go the rents, out go the artists. A new report from the Research Center for Arts and Culture at Columbia’s Teachers College makes the case that New York real estate values are driving artists to lower-cost cities and that the city’s cultural capital is endangered, according to an article in today’s Sun. The report, entitled “Above Ground,” is based on interviews with 213 visual artists between the ages of 62 and 97. The artists interviewed earned a median income of $30,000 and 44 percent of them live in rent-regulated apartments. The report recommends that the city recycle buildings for artists to live and work in and designate areas in new condos for galleries run by artists. “New York is at risk if we lose that creative community,” said Theodore Berger, the project director of Urban Arts Initiative. “We risk becoming what Paris has become: filled with wonderful institutions, but with no living, breathing community.” Sacre bleu?
New York in Danger of Losing Its Artists [NY Sun]
Photo by jennpelly
I don’t see this as a crisis. As many of the above posters have noted, there are plenty of affordable areas within the five boroughs, it’s just that artists don’t want to live in them (e.g. Far Rockaway, Woodhaven, Elmhurst, Castle Hill, etc.). I also agree that many of the successfull artists (think famous painters, jazz artists, actors, writers) can afford to live here because they create a product that is profitable. Other artists can simply visit to present their art (e.g. dance troupes, musicians, performance artists). It’s not necessary to live in NYC in order to live a creative life. Call me crazy, but I just don’t see Memphis or Scranton usurping NYC as the creative capital of the nation.
If the artists make less than 30K, couldn’t they live in the housing projects? (Instead of jacking up the rents right next to the housing projects?)
10:29 is absolutely right. Artists deserve no special consideration. And if you don’t like the rural vibe of Sullivan or Columbia counties that 10:29 suggested, there are plenty of DIRT CHEAP cities that have charming and vibrant downtowns or neighborhoods with active art communities. Try Troy (next to Albany), Syracuse, Rochester or Buffalo. If you have the Woody Allen disease of rather being dead than living anywhere else besides NYC, too bad.
New York needs to be alive with actual artists–a creative class–what was that book about this topic? But I will concede that they don’t have to live in pricey Manhattan.
“most of the artists I have seen are rich’.
you are a fucking idiot.
Wait this is about senior citizen artists? If almost half are living in rent regulated apartments and getting social security and maybe a pension, they are living okay for oldies.
I am annoyed that artists are given special consideration in discussions like this. What makes an artist any worthier of subsidized housing than a seamstress or teacher? As far as I’m concerned, New York will always be a center for the arts regardless of whether artists live here or not. We have the museums, the rich people willing to plunk down lot of money for art, and galleries. Artists don’t need to live in pricey Manhattan neighborhoods to create art. In fact, the most dedicated artists I know eschew New York City and opt to live in gorgeous farmhouses in Sullivan and Columbia county where the views are gorgeous and the cost of living is cheap.
Maybe the problem is the artists they interviewed – I mean if your an ‘artist’ between 62 and 97 YEARS old and all you are making is 30G’s – the issue might be that you art is speaking to no one (i.e. you stink)
I agree with 9:44 and 9:42. These artists could also do what my wife does as an artist. Work for a living.