Got Art Not Space?
Are you an artist dedicated and committed to your art making but can't find
the right place to work? Then look no further than The Splat Flats, a community
of dedicated artists since 2004.
Size Matters
The 28 Splat Flats are divided between two buildings above L. Miller and
Son's Lumber at 1815-25 West Division Street. The East building has 18 spaces,
the West has 10. They vary in size from about 90 sq/ft to 140 sq/ft, averaging at 120 sq/ft.
OC Details
Each Splat Flat has complete privacy, meaning the walls go all the way to the ceiling;
excellent natural light via exterior windows, though exposures vary; included utilities in the
monthly rental price; access 24 hours per day; restrooms and large communal sinks for
washing out brushes on each floor;10 foot ceilings.
Check Please
The cost to rent a Splat Flat ranges between $190-300 per month. The lease
has been designed especially for a dynamic artistic community in that it's flexible.
The commitment is a mere three months, which automatically becomes a month
to month contract after that duration is complete. A deposit is due equal to one
month's rent.
What You Get For Your Buck
The Splat Flats is not your average studio space where an artist
weathers leaky roofs, dripping faucets, and otherwise inattentive
landlords. Because we are housed above and owned by L. Miller &
Son's Lumber Yard, Monday through Friday there is always someone
on site to come up and fix that stopped up sink, swap out a blown
light bulb, or take out a neglected trash bin. Then we also have shows
and widely promote our artists. The second Saturday of October
we participate in Chicago Artists' Month by having an open studio
night and then on the second Saturday of June we have LumbART--our
summer arts extravaganza, an in & outdoor one day, curated interdisciplinary
arts festival. For more information and photos from these events, please
see the events page of this website. And lastly, a new amenity we
are in the works of providing for our artists is Project Attention. This
will be a twice-yearly opportunity for our artists to bring out some of
the pieces they've been working on to get feedback from their peers.
Some might call this a critique, but since most of us went to art school
and had many less than pleasant critiques, we'd like to think of it as
something a bit different, something a bit nicer, and what's nicer than
getting a little attention from your peers? (Okay, lots of things, but
in the Art World, sometimes a nice little scratch behind the ears is the
best one can ever hope for.)
Take Who?
One goal of The Splat Flats is to house a diverse array of artists working
with various artistic media. We look for the right mix. We house:
painters, draftspeople, mixed media artists, fashion designers,
writers, fiber artists, stained glass artists, graphic designers, photo-
graphers, filmmakers, doll makers, and much, much more. However, due to
reasons beyond our control--reasons like insurance, ventilation and
consideration of our neighbors--there are some types of work we can’t
allow in the building. Here’s a partial list: woodworking, glass blowing,
ceramics (that you’d want to fire on site with your kiln), metal working,
music practice... you get the point. We pretty much can’t allow
anything having to do with fire, dust, loud, consistent noise, or
chemicals stronger than turpentine in the building. Also, except for
very special circumstances, children under the age of 16 are prohibited
from being in the building. Sorry, this is an insurance thing beyond
our control.
Full. But, Wait!
Each Splat Flat is presently full. Because most of our artists stay many
months, if not years, under their month-to-month contract, we never can
anticipate when a vacancy will occur. However, artists are required to give
30 days notice before vacating their studio. If you are an artist interested in
becoming a member of The Splat Flats, we do keep a waiting list. When
we are given notice that a resident is leaving, we contact waitlistees
before advertising to the public. If you would like to be added to our
waiting list, please follow these guidelines.
1. Send an email to "space{at}thesplatflats.com;
2. Title the subject of your email "waiting list, please";
3. Tell us a little bit about yourself. What kind of work do you make?
Are you in school or out of school? What is your artistic practice like?
What are your studio habits like? How much space you need?, etc.;
4. Tell us why you think you'd be a good addition to The Splat Flats;
5. Attach three JPGs of your recent work to the email,
(do not simply provide a link to your website).
PLEASE NOTE: If you don't follow the above guidelines, you will not
be added to the waitlist.
If you would like to be added to the waitlist and have an expedited
application process when a studio opens up, please add these extra
two pieces of information with numbers 1-5:
6. The name, phone number, and email of three references who are
informed of and can speak to your work and practice;
7. Cut and paste the following paragraph to your email, inserting
your name where applicable: I {YOUR NAME} authorize The
Splat Flats to contact these references to release pertinent
information to be used in evaluating my potential application
for admittance into said community.
TranSPLATation & Parking
If you're an eco-friendly artist who prefers public transportation, the CTA's Ohare-Blue Line
Division stop is just a hop skip and a jump away from The Splat Flats, while the Division
bus, #70, will drop you right off in front. If you're eco-friendly, but also have engine powered
wheels, there is relatively easy non-permit neighborhood parking around The Splat Flats.
If you're a night owl, who drives and prefers to work after dark, the Miller Lumber parking spots,
which are right out front are available to you. But never, ever, ever, ever even think about
parking there while the business is operating: Monday - Saturday 8-5. Any other time is hunky-dory.