Studio FAQs

Apply online and we’ll get in touch to let you know about upcoming viewings. Once you’ve booked a viewing slot, we’ll send you a confirmation email with everything you need to know about your upcoming viewing.

Our handy step-by-step guide can walk you through the process of applying for a studio at Bow Arts.

There’s no fee to register with us. You only need to pay a small admin fee (between £20 and £30) when you sign the licence agreement to take a studio.

Our studio availability tends to vary from site to site, but we always keep you informed of any vacancies, new site openings or studios that might suit your needs. 

We try to place artists in spaces where their practice will complement those around them. We may give preference to artists with a Bow Arts studio licence or those who have been registered with us for a long time. There may also be further individual criteria for different sites. However, if the space you want is taken, we will work hard to see if there is an alternate studio that would work for you.

At Bow Arts we cater for all sorts of artists, creatives and makers, such as painters, printmakers, photographers, sculptors, illustrators, filmmakers, fashion designers, theatre designers, graphic designers and more! We love having a diverse range of practices in our studios.

We also welcome organisations and individuals operating on a more commercial basis, for example, limited companies or those employing staff. We charge a different (but still affordable) licence fee in such situations. 

Due to our health and safety policy and risk assessments we can’t allow kilns in our studios. Please find further details in our health and safety rules.

Our studios can’t be used for sleeping or residential use due to health and safety risks.

However, if you are looking for accommodation we have low-cost spaces to live in that could be perfect for you. 

ll our buildings are different in terms of physical accessibility. A number of our studios are accessible. These are Canada Street Studios (ground floor only), IceHouse Court, Lakeside Centre, P1 Studios, RAW Studios (ground floor only). Some of our other studios are situated in very old buildings which unfortunately cannot be adapted for full accessibility. 

For a full explanation of accessibility click here.

If you have any concerns or further questions please get in contact with us.

After viewing a studio, confirm your interest to the studio manager. We will then send you a studio offer with a seven-day holding period to complete the signing. The signing will be online via Microsoft Teams. We will take you through the licence agreement and explain it to you during the signing. 

At this stage, you will need to pay an approximate two-month deposit, key deposit, initial first monthly fees and admin fee (between £20 & £30 depending on the site). You will be asked to set up a direct debit for future payments via our online artist platform. Please be aware you must have a UK bank account and set up a direct debit to take a studio with us. We will also ask for ID, such as a passport, driver’s licence etc. 

No, you will need to make the initial payment by card payment. The only method we accept for regular monthly payments is by direct debit

We take our studio occupants’ safety and security seriously. We carry out regular health and safety checks at each of our sites which inform our Fire Risk Assessments and General Risk Assessments for each of our buildings. 

You will be asked to complete a short assessment so we can check that your practice will fit safely into our sites. There is a health and safety code of practice which all artists must abide by and we conduct regular checks to ensure these rules are being followed. We will induct you into each site, so you are aware of all emergency procedures. 

All sites are secure, but we rely on our occupants’ vigilance and cooperation to ensure doors and windows are securely locked.

The length of our leases vary for each site so be sure to check this with the studio manager on your tour. There is no set maximum time we restrict you to, providing you are complying with the terms of the agreement with us. We also conduct annual reviews of how every studio is being used to ensure the best use is made of our spaces

The minimum notice period is three months from signing, then you must give two calendar months’ notice (from the first of the month). 

The monthly charges include the licence fees, donations towards our charitable aims, utility fees and a possible service charge. There will never be any hidden costs that we haven’t told you about and all fees will be made clear at viewings.

We use licences rather than leases for our agreements with artists. This offers you more flexibility and keeps the administration costs down – a saving which we can pass onto you. Under the tenancy, you pay rent, under a licence you pay a fee, in return for which we licence you to use a space in the building, under the terms set out in the licence agreement.  

Yes, but this must be done through a formal agreement with Bow Arts. We do not permit ad-hoc sharing, even for short periods. Let us know when you apply if you wish to share the studio. All artists wishing to share must be registered with us and it helps if you indicate when applying that you want to be together. We can easily add another artist to a new licence agreement at a later date too, so please contact us should your circumstances change and you wish to share (or vice versa).