
(all photographs by the author for Hyperallergic)
As prices for studios rise steadily throughout New York, here’s a useful guide to finding the ideal, affordable NYC studio and figuring out what your “priorities” should be.
If you are a struggling artist, it is all about bang for your buck. Your work deserves however much space it needs to be fully realized. Don’t worry though, it is possible to pay a dollar per square foot if you follow these rules … and yes, these are all real world scenarios faced by artists in NYC.
A Charmingly Awkward Entrance

Adds incentive to stay trim.
Scenery

Public Transportation

Think bus depot not bus stop

Look for the Waste Management line not the L line.
The Beach

Bring a towel and a hazmat suit.
A Local Swimming Pool

Charming … and avoids the crowds!
Shopping!!!

A ladder may be required.
Distribution Centers

Like the grocery store but much bigger and undeniably more exclusive.
Skyscrapers

Cell reception is beautiful on many levels.
Overpasses or underpasses

Who needs The High Line when you have this next door.
A Bucket

If there is no running water say hello to this guy!
Hello from Detroit, where we have $300/mo studios that are roomier than a small NYC apartment. Come here instead. 😀
We actually have those too 😉 – Bushwick artist
Oooh! Well good! I don’t think it’s fair to see all of your halfway decent spaces jacked up in price. Hopefully the property market will even out or get some kind of relief on that front.
Oh my….
Don’t knock the Western Beef it’s actually open to the public and cheap and awesommmmeeee
agreed!