FAQ
- What exactly is an Artist’s Work/Live Studio?
- If I rent a Work/Live Studio, can I live in the space without working there?
- Is la Cité des Artistes a private real estate developper ?
- I’m a musician and I would like to rent a Work/Live Studio in la Cité des Artistes, is this possible?
- I am not a member of a recognised professional association; can I rent a Work/Live Studio in la Cité des Artistes?
- I would like to create a collective print shop in la Cité des Artistes, is this possible?
- How much does it cost to rent a Work/Live Studio?
- Does rent include heating and electricity?
- I am looking for a Work/Live Studio for July. Is it possible to rent a space for this date?
- Does submitting a letter of interest guarantee me a Work/Live Studio at la Cité des Artistes?
- Can I send my letter of interest by regular mail?
- I am not certain yet of the size of the Work/Live Studio that I would like. Can I still send my letter of interest to eventually occupy a space in the Cité des Artistes?
- I am interested in a Studio-Boutique but I would like to live in it as well, is this possible?
- How can I be kept informed of the on-going development of la Cité des Artistes?
- I’m interested by the project but I don’t know Montreal’s South West borough. Why have you picked this neighbourhood?
1) What exactly is an Artist’s Work/Live Studio?
The artist’s Work/Live Studio concept is a relatively new concept in Québec. It is a studio space with a residential component, as opposed to residence (an apartment or house) with a studio component. Further, la Cité des Artistes Work/Live Studios are are tailored to meet the health and safety requirements of working artists. This includes adequate ventilation, maximal space clearance, adequate lighting, and safety equipment. The living component of the units is designed to best complement the artist’s work space.
2) If I rent a Work/Live Studio, can I live in the space without working there?
No. The Work/Live Studios are made specifically for the production of art. If you stop using the space as an art work space, the leasing conditions are not respected, and you will have to move at the end of the annual rental agreement with la Cité des Artistes.
3) Is la Cité des Artistes a private real estate developper ?
No. La Cité des Artistes is a not-for-profit organisation. In 2002, the organisation was formed to respond to the affects of real estate speculation on Montreal’s artist community. A group of artists and friends of the arts started this venture to create affordable studios and living spaces for artists. The goal of the organisation is to promote visual arts, crafts and media arts by providing affordable Work/Live Studios the artists of Greater Montreal.
4) I’m a musician and I would like to rent a Work/Live Studio in la Cité des Artistes, is this possible?
No. Work/Live Studios are available exclusively to visual artists, crafts people and media artists.
5) I am not a member of a recognised professional association; can I rent a Work/Live Studio in la Cité des Artistes?
No. The Work/Live Studios are reserved exclusively for recognised professional artists. You can still send a Letter of Interest to la Cité des Artistes and afterwards submit your portfolio to a recognised professional association, in order to become a member.
6) I would like to create a collective print shop in la Cité des Artistes, is this possible?
Yes. Commercial spaces are available for artistic services such as public or private galleries, artistic production centers, framers, art magazines and book publishing, cultural managers, television, radio and cinema productions and other not-for profit enterprises linked to the world of arts and culture.
7) How much does it cost to rent a Work/Live Studio?
The figures below "How much is it going to cost?" are preliminary, once we complete the financing for the project, we will be able to give you the exact rental cost.
8) Does rent include heating and electricity?
Partly. Our goal is to provide la Cité des Artistes with a geothermal system for the some of the heating and cooling of the building. We will know the degree of the building’s energy autonomy once we completed our design studies. Our goal is to produce 60% of the occupants heating and cooling needs on-site and therefore within the cost of rent.
With regards to electrical consumption not related to heating and cooling, each unit will be equipped with a meter, so that each tenant only pays for the energy that he/she uses.
9) I am looking for a Work/Live Studio for July. Is it possible to rent a space for this date?
No. The 100 units of la Cité des Artistes should be available in 2011. The precise date of occupancy will be communicated to our list of interested participants at a later date. We can only complete our financial and design planning once we have received a sufficient number of letters of interest from artists. The owner of the building site, the Canada Lands Company, will proceed with the site decontamination and preparation as soon as they have all municipal approvals.
10) Does submitting a letter of interest guarantee me a Work/Live Studio at la Cité des Artistes?
No. The letter of interest does not guarantee you a place at la Cité des Artistes, nor is it a formal commitment on your part to rent from la Cité des Artistes. Once your letter is registered, you will be kept informed of the project. At a later date, you will be invited to an session in order to get up-to-date information on the project. When we do start formalizing rental agreements, artists’ requests will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis, so it is in your interest to submit your letter as soon as possible.
11) Can I send my letter of interest by regular mail?
No. To optimize the management of the waiting list and the questionnaire, we will only consider letter of interests sent via this website. No other form of letter will be accepted.
12) I am not certain yet of the size of the Work/Live Studio that I would like. Can I still send my letter of interest to eventually occupy a space in the Cité des Artistes?
Yes. Fill the questionnaire anyway and check the appropriate box.
13) I am interested in a Studio-Boutique but I would like to live in it as well, is this possible?
As it is, the Studio-Boutiques are purely commercial spaces, and therefore not equipped with a living space. If we see that there is a strong demand from artists for such spaces, this option may be taken into consideration. If this is your case, please mention it in the appropriate section of the questionnaire.
14) How can I be kept informed of the on-going development of la Cité des Artistes?
Register for our newsletter.
15) I’m interested by the project but I don’t know Montreal’s South West borough. Why have you picked this neighbourhood?
We picked the South West borough, and more specifically this site next to the Lachine Canal, for many reasons. First of all, the area already has a very lively cultural community - many artists live and work here and there are numerous art galleries. For example, the site is very close to the Darling Foundry and Corona Theatre.
Secondly, this neighbourhood offers a great quality of life - it is next to Lachine Canal and its bike paths, it’s very close to downtown, Old Montreal, Cité du Multimedia and the Atwater Market. It’s close to public transport, as it is close to both George-Vanier and Lucien-l’Allier metros in addition to two bus lines and a future tram line to downtown.
Moreover, the historical context of the borough is very interesting – it’s were jazz found its roots in Montreal and it has a strong and active community network. Finally, la Cité des Artistes will be located within a new sustainable, cultural, touristic and social hub, as it will be part of the new Les Bassins du Nouveau Havre development.