Move to lower Westchester - Mount Vernon, Fleetwood, New Rochelle etc. When my husband and I were looking to buy an apartment, Brooklyn and even the outer boroughs were untouchable. I drew a circle on the map and looked at everything that was within 30 minutes commuting distance of the city. That's how we found Fleetwood - a charming and diverse community just 25 minutes from Grand Central on the Metro North. Since then we've fallen in love with Westchester and are moving even further north. Now we're selling our pre-war 2 bedroom. If you're interested in the apartment or the community, check out: fleetwoodapartment.com

Is this still around? Contact link did not work...

Yes, it is - the official real estate listing is: http://houlihanlawrence.com/re...
I don't know why our contact link did not work - I'll try and fix it so you can contact us direct if you have any questions about Fleetwood. 

Contact link now working on our page - feel free to contact me with any questions

Yeah, it's really time that we got away from this idea that artists are somehow great for the economy or the community or whatever, or that they deserve to get some sort of pass card socially for whatever they do. If rents are high in NYC it's because the people with money need to be there to make it a powerful place and keep the country strong. Artists aren't contributing to that. They need to live somewhere else.

I understand what you are saying, but without all the people with lower incomes, the amazingly rich people would have no restaurants to go to or shows to see or art galleries to go to. The list continues. The rental market is skyrocketing to an extreme that is just absurd.

I've been married to a starving artist for 20 years. There have been high points and lows as far as the income he makes goes. I do know this, his mind isn't like a "normal" persons mind. At times when he has taken a "real job" to pay the bills his creative flow is lost completely....he feels things more than the average person. This can be great for creating his paintings, but difficult to live at times, it's a sacrafice I'm willing to put up with. I can work a job I hate and grin and bear it like everyone else by just sort of desensitizing my feelings. He's unable to do that. I'm not saying all artists are ruled by their emotions, but mine certainly is...and sometimes it's a beautiful thing.

Are you a hot chick?

Move to Philly. Seriously. Or some other affordable, artist friendly town; NYC is neither. (Chicago, Austin, Twin Cities, and Portland come to mind). I moved to Brooklyn 5 years ago after finishing my MFA in film, and haven't pursued art since because I've been too busy and tired just commuting to my day jobs in Times Square (from Ditmas Park in Brooklyn, one of the few places where I could afford to buy a co-op) and paying the bills.

I hear from friends who also want to escape New York that ten years ago NYC was great for artists, but that it's really taken a bad turn. Between the insanely overpriced real estate, overcrowding, and new hoardes of rich folk (like so many of these commenters who just obviously hate artists), it's no longer a good option. I personally have already bought an investment property in Philly and will be moving there as soon as my husband is done with his Masters degree.

uh two words.. outer boroughs.

p -

would you consider an apartment with walls a "fancy thing"

if so, i dont mind working a job i hate so i can have one.

don't rule out the bronx. an earlier post said to consider it, and you can find large apartments in pre-war buildings. there's also a non profit co-op complex in the van cortlandt area that is well maintained. it's amalgamated houses. the costs are tied into income and tenants are screened. of course you have to have some income to qualify, but if you have the income you can get a very decent apt (huge by manhattan standards).

To all of the Vitriolics,

Most of the "starving artists" that I know (including myself) have jobs. What makes them starving artists is working just enough to survive...and do their art thing, whatever form that may be. Rather then spending time at a job they hate to buy lots of fancy things, they work enough to live on a tiny budget, and are happy because they're doing their thing.

My advice, actually you shouldn't follow this advice, but it is cheap. Empty loft space...instead of walls, string and fabric to divide space between roommates. cheap, barely provides privacy. cheap.

Thank god I have since moved into a new place.

Good Luck.

a "starving photographer" eh? just take a crappy photo, give it a title that doesn't relate to the picture at all, upload it to flickr, and bam! YOUR WORK IS ON AN "EXTRA, EXTRA" POST.

I don't understand why starving artists have money to drink beer but no money for paying rent...

Starving-artists need to use their creative skills when it comes to living on the cheap in New York City. All the artists of the 1980's moved out to Brooklyn when it was no-man's land. In 1988, people would have laughed at you if you said you were moving to Williamsburg or Park Slope. Artists need to think along similar lines: Bronx is a great idea. There ARE safe areas and one could definitely get a nice BIG apartment for cheap.

The other thing the starving-artist needs to learn is how to live on the cheap. Is there a blog for that kind of thing? If not, there needs to be one.

Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, etc...with roommates. Do cocktailing a few nights a week at a club in West Chelsea.

ya I have to say that, as world-weary and cynical as it sounds "find a job" is a good solution. but I think artists have a lot of options here in nyc. freelance! painters, sculptors w/construction skills, photogs, whatever. there are freelance opportunities that will string you along, and may pay well. there are a lot of "housing" options that, if you are flexible (and not trust-funded) you can work a weird schedule, get cheap rent, and space to work. you probably have to live w/someone.

obviously, a job takes time away from yr art, so if, like myself, you 9-6 it (commute makes is 8-7), get a job that does not follow you home or stress the balls (or tits) off of you. if you get health insurance at that job, plus vaca + sick days, you can pour that free time (and money) into yr work without sweating about yr food.

or start dating/marry someone who is "independently wealthy" or just has a good job and can handle yr artsiness (the latter is a common situation in nyc, by my experience)

Temping is a better bet than fast food ("may I take your order"). Nice atmosphere, better pay, and you actually learn truly useful skills as a temp, including all those customer service skills you gain in the food industry. Just beware of places that will only pay you $10/hr (for shame). In this city, that is a ridiculous pay scale. Even $15/hr is cutting it close. Also, yes, getting a roommate/housemate is a good option for saving the $$. I do both (temp and have a housemate) while doing my art.



I like what you say, #10 Arturo van Artisan. I'm a musician here in NYC, and it's challenging to make it just on your art. You do what you can, though.

Sorry to see all the hatin' on the artists, though.

learn to like cold spaghetti and shoprite beer or move back to bugtussel and deliver for Dominos