Rental Space Rules

 

Thank you for your interest in renting space at Artisans Asylum! Studio and storage spaces are a great opportunity to support your making.

Eligibility Requirements

You must be a monthly member of Artisans Asylum in good standing to rent a studio or storage space. Day Pass and Corporate users are ineligible to rent space. Membership Level Restrictions: Students cannot rent storage spaces outside of what is specifically allocated for their class

Agreements

To rent a space at Artisans Asylum, you must meet our eligibility requirements and agree to and abide by all applicable policies and procedures as referenced in the New Renter Agreement Form.

Waitlist

If a member or non-member desires to rent a space, they must add themselves to the waitlist available on our website. As space becomes available, members or potential members will be notified and given the option to rent. The waitlist is maintained on a first-come, first-serve basis. People on the waitlist with an interest in contributing to the mission of the organization as indicated in the waitlist questionnaire are given priority.

 

Rental Space Rules

Presence

As per our Policies & Procedures, presence is a requirement. Activity is what makes our space vibrant. Simply using spaces for storage is not only detrimental to the health of our community but also an economically inefficient way of storing things. Storage companies are located near our facility and are cheaper to use. If someone is leaving for 3 months, they give up a space, but get priority when they return to rent a new studio space.

Fire Lanes

At no time should any items be stored in the fire lanes. Any items that are stored in the fire lanes will be moved out of the way and will be tagged per our Tidy Space Policy.

Safe Storage

Dead Storage

Artisan's Asylum is a place to make things. Be it art, a robot, furniture, or a commission. These spaces are not meant to be short-term or long-term dead storage. It is intended for active projects and items. If you do need to just store a collection we have a neighbor that specifically caters to that need.

Extra Space Self Storage has space for long-term item storage.

"Leakage"

A common thread with all of the different available storage (plots, shelf space, flex space, pallet storage) is leakage: Items that sneak outside of the agreed-upon footprint. These items need to move back into your space. At no time should items be stored in the shop spaces.

If you have left random items out of your space or are found in a shop area, items will be tagged per our Tidy Space Policy. Both will be charged at the daily rate for flex space, rounded up to the nearest square foot.

Food storage

Food should not be stored long-term in the MPR (multi-purpose room). Bring what you are going to eat that day. Food should be stored in a secure container. Perishable food should not be left out. If your food attracts rodents or pests, you will be financially responsible for abatement. Individual spaces can share a 15-amp circuit with up to four other spaces. Mini-fridge operations do not have a guaranteed power source.

Cruft

If you have items you plan to offer up to other members, please keep cruft within your space until someone takes it, and then it must go into a studio, storage, flex space, or out of the building.

Structures

If you have any questions on this, please email facilities@artisansasylum.com.

 

Renter Responsibilities by Space Type

Studios

  • All personal projects and items should be within your rented space. If they are not, see Leakage
  • Items may not be leaned on the chest-high divider walls; they were not designed to support leaning material. If you need to store things in your space, make sure that it is supported by structures that sit on the floor. If you do need to support items leaning in a vertical position, make sure they are tied down.
  • All spaces should be kept in a neat and organized state. This is to aid in emergency response during rescue operations. Not sure what we mean? A fully geared fireman must be able to enter your space, turn around, and exit safely.
  • Materials should be stacked neatly
  • Studios are not for dead-storage or a short-term dumping ground. Extra Space Storage is right next door.
  • When not in use, all heat-generating items (soldering irons, hot plates, heat guns, small ovens) are to be unplugged. These items should never be on without being attended.
  • Batteries should not be charged unattended when not in a commercial package (drill pack, cell phone, or laptop with OEM charger). Individual cells, custom pack custom chargers, or rapid chargers should only be charged when an operator is present.
  • Power and internet are not guaranteed. Do not run outwardly-facing servers in your space. The intertubes get full very quickly.
  • Power strips should not be connected into a second power strip to create a "daisy chain" of power strips. All power strips should have an overcurrent device and should be labeled as UL or other NRTL-approved.
  • Extension cords should not be plugged into power strips. Extension cords should have a grounding pin in the plug and meet minimum gauge rating of 14 gauge for up to 25 feet and 12 gauge for up to 50 feet. 100-foot extension cords should not be used in the building.
  • Power strips should be shut off when you are not in your space
  • Trash should be removed at regular intervals (weekly) and dust and dust bunnies need to be cleaned
  • Food rubbish should only be emptied into the kitchen trash
  • Recyclables should be rinsed prior to being put into the recycling bins
  • Space should be able to operate without relocating contents to the aisle for operation
  • If you have outlets on the wall in your space, they need to be accessible without moving things to get to them
  • Flammables should be stored in a clearly marked flammables cabinet or the communal cabinet
  • Items should not be stored suspended by the ceiling

Get the most out of your studio space

  • Post a business card on the map of the Asylum to the right of the front door
  • Create an entry for yourself on our Wiki’s opt-in member directory
  • Studio spaces are for working – do not use them as storage. We have project storage available that can help you maintain your working environment. In some cases, shelving or other storage units work well to create more workspace.
  • Create a display about your work in your space to help engage with other members and be visible to visitors; a picture of the final project you are building, a stand for business cards, and framed examples of past work are examples of what other studios have done.
  • Talk to your neighbors! There may only be a few days a month where everyone in neighboring spaces is there together. Leave notes for each other. Make an effort to get to know those who are making around you.
  • Keep walls to a minimum. The dividers between spaces were intentionally built by members to encourage collaboration.
  • Participate in Open Studios. It is a great deadline for studio organization and cleaning and provides an opportunity for you to engage with thousands of visitors over the year.
  • Become a tour stop. Contact the Front Desk at front-desk@artisansasylum.com to have your studio added to the tour route. Fill out the member and/or project profile.

Storage

Shelf Storage

  • The shelf space units are 24” x 24” x 30”. You can get multiple units next to each other to get larger spaces that are up to 24” x 30” x 72”.
  • Shelf units can hold up to 50 pounds each.
  • You should be able to safely load and unload materials.
  • Make sure that no items overhang the shelf, or lean against the aisles of the shelf.
  • If your stuff is sticking out, it will likely be shifted so that it fits on the shelf. If it can't fit, you will be upgraded to either additional shelf spaces or additional flex space.
  • All items on the shelves should be secured in a reasonable manner.

Pallet Storage

  • The standard pallet unit of 40” x 48” is the base to work on. All pallets and items have an 8.5 foot height limit. It needs to be able to be moved at will via pallet jack if necessary. All items on the pallet need to be within the footprint. Anything on the pallet must be stable and secure. The height may be significantly lower based on what is being stored. If the pallet size is exceeded, it will be moved to flex space at the flex space rates.

Lockers

  • Lockers can have a member-supplied lock on them. If they start to leak fluid, or emit a funny smell, we may cut the lock off to investigate.

Vertical Storage

  • Vertical storage needs to be securely stored. The racks have a height limit of 12 feet, or 1 foot below fire suppression piping. All stock should be secured by a reasonable device, not a bungie cord or twine. The weight is limit is 200 pounds.

Sheet Storage

  • Sheets should be stored in slots and secure.

 

Get the most out of your storage space

  • Review the rental space rules specific to the type of storage you are renting at Artisan’s
  • The rules are set out to make storage rentals in active and safe use.
  • Build a structure/bring containers. Your pallet needs to be moved at any time as one single unit and the stuff on your shelves can’t spill into your neighbor’s.
  • Minimize – only store what you need on a semi-regular basis. This space should not be used for storing projects that stay dormant for 1year+.

 

Sharing Space

The person you are sharing a space with must be a member. There is no additional fee to either member for sharing a space. One person must be responsible for paying for the space, and must pay the rent in full. Subletting our space at a premium is not permissible and will be subject to immediate termination of the rental license. Rental Licenses can be transferable to a current member sharing a space. Artisan’s Asylum cannot support members finding space shares.

 

Violation of Rental Space Rules

Periodically Facilities reviews studio and storage space for compliance on our Rental Space Rules In coordination with the Fire Marshall, Rental Space Rules are subject to change to reflect best practices for safety. Messages will be sent to you via email and/or a physical print out in your space. Your prompt response and handling of any requests as it relates to your space’s compliance is critical in maintaining the safety of our shared space.

If rental space rules are violated, Artisan’s Asylum staff will notify the renter of violation. Artisan’s Asylum staff and designated volunteers reserve the right to enter studio spaces and directly address violations of rental space rules. This may include but is not limited to turning off or unplugging equipment, moving flammables to proper storage, and moving leakage to flex space for storage.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a studio to store my projects?

Studios are designed to be active workspaces. We strongly discourage the use of studios for any kind of storage, although we recognize that materials and projects may be stored for periods of time. We encourage you to use storage space actively as well.

Can I share a space with someone?

Yes, you are welcome to share a space! See Rental_Space_Rules#Sharing_Space for details.

Can I sublet?

You are welcome to share your space with another member, but we discourage long term sublets of your studio space. If you are leaving for more than 3 months, we prefer that you vacate your space until you return. We will add your request to the internal request list which is reviewed before available spaces are rented to the public waiting list.

Can you help me find someone to share my studio?

The staff at Artisan's does not have the capacity to assist members in studio shares. We suggest reaching out to inmates@ and discuss@ to see if there are any current members looking to share space.   MAILING LISTS NEED UPDATE

 

Renter Onboarding checklist

  • Review Rental Space Rules
  • Submit New Renter Agreement Form
  • Pay deposit or request a deposit waiver
  • Schedule meeting with Facilities Manager to review expectations
  • If constructing a freestanding structure, submit plans to facitilies@artisansasylum.com for approval
  • Use your space! Presence is one of our Policies & Procedures.

 

Glossary

  • Cruft: that which magically masses on all available horizontal surfaces with seemingly no origin or owner. In other words, rubbish. It is a problem for us as an institution and we need to periodically purge as individuals and as an organization.
  • Hoarding: a general term for a behavior that leads people to accumulate food or other items.