Dear Concerned San Franciscans,
The recent boom of development in the South of Market area has in many ways brought life to the City of San Francisco along with an exciting new neighborhood. SOMA Artists Studios has been a part of this community for 25 years, and we want to continue to be a part of the cultural life of the City. SOMA Artists Studios has watched the area change several times, but the latest influx of new businesses is threatening now to price us out.
SAS is losing its lease due to the burgeoning commercial real estate market, which is directly impacted by the rise of the tech industry in our neighborhood. In 2015, 46 artists will be forced to move out of the heart of the City, less than ideal for the artists and the cultural life of the City.
SAS is currently a collection of 46 artists. Over the past 25 years more than 300 artists have passed through these studios, making SAS their home. It is comprised of a diverse group of recognized professional artists, working in a wide range of media. Many have shown their work in Bay Area galleries, as well as nationally and internationally. Being in its current location since 1989, SAS artists have participated in the city-wide ArtSpan Open Studios each year.
SAS would prefer to stay at our current location. If forced to move, SAS needs a location which offers stability from the volatile real estate market, ideally in an central area where we can contribute to the thriving culture of San Francisco in a meaningful way. We need help finding and securing a location, in order to continue to be a creative force for the next 25 years and more!
Sincerely,
SOMA Artists Studios
