How to Create a Professional Artist Studio Practice

Your studio is the foundation of your practice. It’s where your ideas take form, where you spend most of your creative life. Yet too often, artists underestimate how much their studio influences their art and especially their career. The space in which you work doesn’t just shape what you create—it shapes how you create, how you’re perceived, and how you grow professionally. In this article, we’ll take a close look at what makes the artist’s studio such a decisive element in your development as an artist. We’ll discuss how to approach your studio strategically—from choosing the right location and type of workspace to balancing practical needs with conceptual and professional considerations. You’ll also find practical advice on how to build, improve, or rethink your studio setup over time, regardless of your current stage or budget.

Understanding the Importance of the Artist’s Studio

The artist’s studio is more important than you might think. It has a direct impact on the work you create and can either facilitate or obstruct the materialization of your vision. Think of having a studio that’s large enough to make work at the scale where it’s most powerful. Think of having a space where you’re allowed to make a mess, get dusty, and work with fumes or charcoal dust without worrying about it. The studio is not only the birthplace of your work—it’s also the place where you’ll spend countless hours. It needs to be optimized so you can work efficiently and make the most out of that precious, often limited, studio time. In a way, it should be your happy place —the environment where you can get into the right headspace to create the work you need to produce.

But the studio is more than just a personal space. It’s also the first public stage. It’s not only a place to work and think, but also a showroom. Think of the importance of the studio visit—it’s in this room that you’ll meet with potential gallery partners, curators, and collectors. They might be considering acquiring a piece, or they might already be invested in your work and are visiting to immerse themselves fully in your artistic universe. These moments can be decisive. Collectors, even modest ones, can become true ambassadors for your practice, and their influence is often underestimated. And gallery owners want to see a studio where growth can take place, that is fully operational and professional. Your studio becomes part of your public appearance in these encounters. You only get one first impression, and as we know, impressions matter a great deal in the art world. The space itself, and the way you run it, will influence how others perceive your professionalism and reliability. You want to impress them and seize the opportunity that is unfolding instead of letting it slip through your hands—and your studio will be a direct factor in this.

Furthermore, today, in a world where content creation plays such a key role, the studio has also become the stage for that content. The images and videos of your works—often taken in your studio—are just as important as the works themselves, because they determine how people experience your art, and in many cases, if it’s seen at all. The algorithms that govern online visibility reward engaging content, and a spacious or visually interesting studio can significantly impact how your work circulates. If you want proof, feel free to open your phone, go to Instagram, and start scrolling. Artists with nice studios are simply more visible. In that sense, the studio is not just where the work is made—it’s also where it’s documented and shared with the world, whether in person or online.

Most artists will have had several studios over the course of their careers, gradually reinvesting in their practice as they progress. So don’t be too hard on yourself if your studio situation isn’t perfect yet, or go to extreme lengths with risky loans or contracts to have the perfect studio right now. As an artist, we want to go long, not fast. Improving your studio situation over time is one of the best investments you can make in yourself. Therefore, it should remain one of your main goals to continuously improve your working environment. Next to size and functionality, there are other important aspects to consider—most importantly, the location of your studio, and the type of space you choose.

The Importance of a Strategic Location

When it comes to location, there are countless possibilities, each with its advantages and drawbacks. Location will heavily influence your budget. Having your studio in the center of a major art city is ideal, but the cost per square meter can reach astronomical heights, making it unaffordable or forcing you into a studio that’s simply too small to do its job. Unless you belong to the lucky few, compromises will have to be made. The key is to set your priorities straight from the beginning—based on the nature of your art, your career goals, and the kind of environment you thrive in. If the size of your studio is crucial to your work, consider moving to a more remote area where you can afford the necessary space. You can make up for the lack of physical presence in a city center by creating more online content that highlights your impressive workspace and production process.

On the other hand, if you’re a post-studio artist who works in a project-based manner—where proximity to the art community, institutions, or universities matters—a city location becomes far more valuable. The same applies if you already have a strong network in a particular art hub because you studied or worked there. Maintaining those professional and social ties might be more important than having a large, photogenic studio. If you’re not naturally inclined toward in-person networking, however, an affordable studio outside the city can work just as well, especially if you use digital channels like Instagram to build visibility and community. A lower rent and less financial pressure often mean more freedom, more time to work, and more focus on what truly matters: making art. Think Rae Klein, who never went to graduate school, lives in Holland, Michigan, instead of an important art city, but was able to work with the industry-leading Jessica Silverman Gallery through her +100K followers Instagram account, or Emily Weiner who told us in during our interview that moving from New York to Nashville was the move that made all the difference, as it gave her less financial pressure and therefore more studio time which let to more traction in the art world.

Play to your strengths and set your priorities in a way that balances location, size, and opportunity—serving both your work and your persona as an artist. As your career evolves, you might even consider having two studios. Many artists do this once they become more established and need a local presence in a key art city—especially if they’re represented by a gallery there. Having a smaller, shared space in the city for meetings and local production can be a smart move, particularly if you collaborate with other artists to split costs—a strategy which we’ll discuss further in the next chapter. This setup combines the best of both worlds: the space and affordability of a main studio elsewhere, and the visibility and access of a city presence.

The Different Types of Studios

Besides location, it’s essential to think carefully about what type of studio suits your needs. A home studio is a common and often financially smart choice. It’s ideal for artists who need flexibility or don’t yet have the means for a separate workspace. However, it comes with challenges. Can you make the mess you need without worrying about cleaning? Will you have enough space? Can you stay disciplined and focused without being distracted by household tasks? Will your family or partner respect your studio time? And can you truly relax when your unfinished work is always within sight? If you do work from home, aim for maximum efficiency. Painters, for example, can save a lot of space with a well-organized worktable that includes storage for paint, mediums, and tools, keeping walls clear for canvases. Consider working on unstretched canvases and reusing aluminum stretchers—ten works can fit into the space of one when stored rolled or hung unstretched on the wall on binder clip paper clamps.

Sculptors, on the other hand, may find home studios too limiting due to noise, dust, or materials, in which case a separate workspace is usually better. In this case, a dedicated studio is advised. A space dedicated solely to making art creates a clear boundary between work and personal life. But renting industrial or commercial space can be expensive and often isolating if you’re alone. Therefore, the ideal solution is to look for shared studio hubs, where multiple artists share a building and costs. These collective spaces are not only affordable but also invaluable for building your network among peers. Being surrounded by other artists increases your exposure to visiting curators, collectors, and gallerists, creating more opportunities for encounters that often lead to new prospects. Think of the iconic Paintbrush Factory in Cluj, Romania, which played a vital role in the emergence of this unexpected art city and the so-called Cluj School with art world superstars such as Adrian Ghenie or Victor Man. Or what about POUSH in Paris, where 270 established and emerging artists from over 30 countries work in a 20,000m2 industrial campus, accompanied by curatorial events.

If no such studio hub exists nearby, you can consider creating one yourself. Many artists start by renting a large space with a few peers and dividing it into smaller studios. Over time, others may join, and you might even generate a small income stream by subletting. It’s a proactive and creative way to strengthen both your practice and your local art community. In the end, your studio—whether it’s at home, shared, urban, or rural—plays a central role in your artistic and professional growth. It’s where your ideas become real, where your relationships take shape, and where the foundations of your career are built.

Building a professional studio practice takes time, effort, and self-awareness. It evolves alongside your career, reflecting who you are as an artist at each stage. Whether it’s a small corner in your home, a shared studio in an industrial building, or a spacious atelier that welcomes curators and collectors, what matters most is that the space supports your growth—both artistically and professionally. Be strategic. Contemplate the importance of the artist studio as discussed above to know your priorities. What factors are key for you? Write them down and explore your options. What is your budget? Do you have an existing network in an art city? How much space do you need? Do you have the space at home—think of a space in your garden or a lofty attic? Are there any shared studio spaces nearby? Can you set up a shared studio space by yourself? Assess your situation based on the information formulated in this article, play to your strengths, and take matters into your own hands to have the best studio situation possible at this stage of your career.

Cover image: Portrait of Louise Bonnet in her Los Angeles studio, 2020. Image courtesy of the artist and Gagosian Quarterly.

Last Updated on October 10, 2025