Renting a studio is a sign of a successful art career. However, it brings many responsibilities, too. Renting a studio can be very rewarding and boost your business to a great extent, however, there are some particular precautionary measures every artist must take into account when looking at places to rent.

This can make studio hunting frustrating, as there are so many things to consider. Not only does it depend on space and what area of fine art you are studying (sculpting, print work, and even painting can require a lot of space), but it also depends on the popularity of your work, and whether you have the pleasure of working from a studio close to home or one far further away.

But there are three very important things to consider overall that can be key deciding factors when it comes to choosing your studio. These are:

#1 Make sure your finances are stable
Make sure you have a stable income, whether this is from a ‘day job’ alongside your artwork or from your art career itself. This is very important when it comes to being able to pay for both rent and materials, so you need to critically evaluate if your work is stable enough to carry you through if you financially go through a rough patch.

You should also be thinking about bills, whether they are included in the rental price or not, and whether you will be able to commit to the minimum rental period. If the answer is no, it might be worth rethinking your choice of studio or wait it out a little more until you can definitely afford it.

#2 Make sure you have the right Insurance
Making sure you have the right specialised art insurance can be very handy. This can be used to insure your pieces of work, so if any work is stolen or damaged, you can get full compensation.

This is a good choice if your work is of a very high value, and your collections are costly. It is also a good option generally, as your work can also need to be emergency evacuated due to a fire or flood, and it’s good to be covered for all the possible ways your work could be damaged.

#3 Ensure security measures are the best you can afford
This is a big one. Fine art pieces are at a massively high risk of getting stolen, so it is wise to check for which security measures are already in place for your potential studio. This can include security cameras, guards, and even automated buzz-in systems.

You will also need to consider storage options as well, whether there is enough space for your artwork and materials to be securely kept where they won’t be damaged or stolen. This means you don’t need to worry about whether or not your work is secure, as well as making your workspace easier to maintain and clean.