by Onajídé Shabaka - 13 May, 2007

   Home Hearth and Homeless?

    by Onajídé Shabaka

It is well known that studio space in parts of Miami are next to impossible. If one speaks about close to the Design District & Wynwood, spaces will be even less. Legal Art, the Miami Beach not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing artists with affordable legal services, unique events and educational opportunities, brought three speakers to talk about affordable housing and studio space. This was the third panel discussion in four days but, probably held the most important information to be shared. On the panel was: Seth Cameron (artist, curator and, former Creative Director of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council), David Lombardi (Principal, Lombardi Properties), Robert Wennett (CANDO Board Member; President, UIA Management), and Carolina García (Exec. Dir., LegalArt Miami).

Just a few years ago Artspace was scheduled to work on some live/work spaces in Miami but, it didn't work out. "The mission of Artspace Projects is to create, foster and preserve affordable space for artists and arts organizations. We pursue this mission through development projects, asset management activities, consulting services, and community-building activities that serve artists and arts organizations of all disciplines, cultures, and economic circumstances. By creating this space, Artspace supports the continued professional growth of artists and enhances the cultural and economic vitality of the surrounding community."

In recent years, Cultural Arts Districts have gained popularity in the arsenal of tools being used for economic revitalization and to address the cultural and aesthetic needs of a particular city or neighborhood. Districts vary in size and character, but all are intended to achieve livable, active and perhaps more affordable areas, incorporating theaters, museums, galleries, book stores, performance and art centers, artist, photography and design studios, live/work spaces for musicians, writers, dancers and related fields and disciplines.

In 2006, Mayor David Dermer formed a Blue Ribbon Committee to help guide the creation of a Cultural Arts Neighborhood District Overlay (CANDO) in Miami Beach. In October 2006, the City Commission unanimously approved the first Cultural Arts Neighborhood District Overlay in the city’s history.

More than 30 artists, developers, hoteliers, property owners and representatives of art and cultural venues and organizations, including ArtCenter/South Florida, New World Symphony, Miami Beach Arts Trust, Cultural Arts Council, Bass Museum, Miami City Ballet, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, Miami Beach Botanical Garden, Wolfsonian/FIU, Urban Environmental League, Knight Foundation, Collins Park Neighborhood Association, and Art Basel Miami Beach, helped compose the Blue Ribbon Committee that has been the catalyst to help spur the district that includes arts-related mixed use and community gathering.

The CANDO arts neighborhood is bounded by Dade Boulevard and 24th Street on the north, Lenox Avenue on the west, Lincoln Lane South on the south, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east.

Tax benefits and/or zoning incentives will be explored for property owners who can house artists, writers, musicians, dancers, and designers who desire to live and work their craft within CANDO. The goal is to reverse the common cycle of pricing out artists, smaller galleries and those cutting-edge cultural activities that were often at the forefront of turning many of the newly redeveloped neighborhoods into successful places to invest, live, work and play.

There are a number of models for real artist lofts. I used the word real because many of the lofts being touted in the new Miami real estate market are not artist lofts. Another models is Eastworks, a growing community of businesses, artisans, and other professionals, all sharing an historic mill building. At least one of my blogger friends lives and works at Eastworks. With high ceilings, open living spaces, reasonable prices, and a community of fellow artists, Eastworks seems like a perfect model for what could be created locally, Miami-Dade, Broward and, Palm Beach Counties.

The panelists spoke about the many options available to its audience: letters and emails to governmental representatives, local and state; build alliances with real estate developers; apply for available housing programs for cultural workers; and buy whenever possible.

Of course, a panel discussion that lasted over two hours cannot be recounted word for word and, no podcast was made on this event, unfortunately. However, housing and work space is something that continually remains an issue that artists must stay on top of because of the special needs in a live/work environment.

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