“New York’s creative community is an extraordinary source of energy and vitality for our city. But for artists to continue to thrive and produce work that connects with communities throughout the five boroughs, we need to keep New York a place where they can afford to live and work,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl. “ArtBuilt’s new space in the Brooklyn Army Terminal is a step toward addressing the need for affordable workspace, providing a dynamic new base of operations for dozens of artists and creative workers. Through collaborations that expand the supply of affordable workspace, this Administration is committed to ensuring that working artists continue to call our neighborhoods home for generations to come.”

“This is an era of sharpened pressures and shrinking resources for artists, arts-based businesses, and small-scale manufacturers more generally. We are excited to partner with NYCEDC and DCLA to create a new support model for this important but often overlooked economic sector,” said ArtBuilt Co-Executive Directors Guy Buckles and Esther Robinson. “Businesses that need small-footprint industrial space—from a few hundred to a couple of thousand square feet—just can’t get a toehold in NYC’s overheated estate market. By aggregating these small producers, we give them the leverage they need to compete with the bigger players. New York would be a poorer place without its small-scale producers. We’re helping these vital but vulnerable economic generators stay in NYC, not just to survive but to flourish, for the benefit of all New Yorkers.”

“I join DCLA Commissioner Finkelpearl and NYCEDC President Patchett in welcoming ArtBuilt to the Brooklyn Army Terminal,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “My administration has been vocal in support of developing affordable artist workspaces across the borough, in addition to the creation and preservation of vitally-needed affordable housing. Starting one’s own business and making a living in the art world, whether in painting or woodworking, can be very difficult when considering the costs of renting out a physical location and attracting potential customers. This space will provide artists with a helping hand upwards.”