Drew Young is a visual artist and arts entrepreneur.

Planning to open an art studio in Vancouver? Three words: Brown bag it. Build your studios as though you are drinking your favourite malt liquor at the beach—your dirty secret in disguise.

Unless, of course, you’re into self-inflicted torture and are yearning for the sting of uncomprehensible City of Vancouver wait times, business change of use protocol, permits, architects (good and criminal), inspections, double-eye twitches, rewiring your digestive system through stress, and an inevitable nervous breakdown. Whichever you choose, chances are your building will be gone in a handful of years. Your call.

In winter 2023, my bright-eyed business partner Steff Love and my bushy ass embarked on designing a creative arts space aimed to refine the studio model. We didn’t want to just cram as many “boxes” into our space as possible. Artists need more than four walls and a light switch. They need prep areas, power tools, specialty hardware, storage, photography gear, staging space, a meeting room, logistics, and—yes—community and communal knowledge. It’s rarely done, but without these features, we believe a studio isn’t fully functional.

Astro Club wasn’t a blind venture. For 12 years, I had an almost mythical landlord who let us experiment with building in my previous space while accommodating our budget. I learned what style of........

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