Our mission: Provide affordable live/work and creative spaces in Roanoke.
We can do this together. We need to hear from the full universe of creatives living in (or interested in moving to) the Roanoke Valley about their space needs and preferences for a proposed affordable mixed-use project at Riverdale Village.
Whether you’re an emerging artist, professional maker or musician, content creator, hair stylist, weekend crafter, cake designer, facepainter, part-time poet, gardener, weaver, salsa dancer, community connector, tattoo artist – if ANY creative pursuit is part of your life – your voice is critical to this project.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE RECENT SURVEY!
Survey data will be used to assess demand for new space, and to design new space to suit the unique needs of Roanoke’s creative community and its art-related organizations. Survey data is being tallied now. Everyone who filled out the survey and asked to be kept up to date will be invited to the April 18 Survey Soiree!
The Big Picture
Step 1: National non-profit Artspace visited our community in September 2023 to conduct a preliminary feasibility study for jan affordable live/work project. They fell in love with Roanoke’s creative scene and determined the optimal site would be in Riverdale Village, Ed Walker’s transformative concept for the former American Viscose plant. Read the Artspace Preliminary Feasibility Study here.
Step 2: A market study focused on Roanoke’s Creative community, accomplished by a recent Creative Space Needs Survey.
Step 3: If the survey results fit Artspace’s criteria for a successful project, we will move to the financing piece. Currently it looks as if Artspace is recommending up to 67 units of affordable live/work space for artists at or below 80% of area median income. Artspace has decades of experience figuring out how to fund their projects using a combination of public and private funds, and they will work with us to determine a path forward. We are fortunate to have great partners at the State level, which will be a huge help in this process.
If we successfully move through these steps, there is a very real possibility of affordable live/work and creative space being developed by Artspace at Riverdale.
– Read the April 19 Cardinal News article here.
FAQ
What could this proposed development look like?
The proposed facility could include live/work housing, shared flexible creative space for residents, and leasable space for studios/creative work, nonprofits, and/or creative businesses. Check out some of Artspace’s cool projects around the country.
Spread the word!
We’ll keep everyone updated on our next steps.
★ Sign up if you’d like to help us spread the word as an Ambassador.
★ Share this page with the link: www.roanokearts.org/artspace
★ Make sure you’re on the newsletter list for updates.
★ Follow and share us on Facebook and Instagram at @artspace_roa.
Press
There’s some good info out there. Here’s some recent coverage:
– Virginia Business, April 25, 2024
– Cardinal News, April 19, 2024
– Artspace, Oct. 3, 2023
– WFIR, Sep. 15, 2023
– Cardinal News, Nov. 9, 2023
– Cardinal News, Aug. 22, 2023
– Cardinal News, April 4, 2023
– Cardinal News, Jan. 17, 2023