chashama

chashama, which means “to have vision” in Farsi, was founded by Anita Durst in 1995 to support visual, performing, and multi-media artists through creative space redistribution. Working in close partnership with the real estate industry, chashama reclaims unused properties and transforms them into creative work and presentation spaces. Landowners donate temporarily vacant properties that chashama recycles into creative hubs, and grants to artists, organizations, and youth arts programs without any cost or at highly subsidized rates.  Currently, chashama manages 127 artist studios, five galleries, and three performance venues. In the past year, chashama distributed $2 million worth of space to over 500 artists, reaching an audience of nearly 200,000.