80 Arts
Affordable Office Space
for Small Arts Organizations

Leasing Criteria

In order to be considered for tenancy in 80 Arts, applicants will be evaluated against the criteria outlined below. A committee comprised of representatives from Brooklyn-based arts, art services and community development organizations developed the criteria.

The goals for tenanting the building are:

• To have a diverse tenant base of smaller nonprofit arts groups from the visual, performing and new media arts, as well as nonprofit arts in education and art services organizations, based in Brooklyn and citywide. To have groups that are culturally diverse and at varying stages in their development, i.e., emerging, established, etc.

• The building must be financially stable, and self-supporting. The rent paid by the tenant organizations must cover the costs of operating, maintaining and managing the building.

• To create an environment that fosters a sense of community among the building's tenants.

To ensure that the building is financially stable prospective tenants will be required to meet minimum financial and organizational criteria (Threshold Criteria), as outlined in Section I, below. If an organization does not meet these minimum criteria, they will not be considered. Of the organizations that meet the Threshold Criteria, the most appropriate will be offered space based on the Activities Criteria (Section II), and the Adjusting Criteria (Section III).

Space will be offered based on the correlation between the size of space needed by an organization and the size of spaces available within the building.

I. Threshold Criteria

In order to be considered for tenancy, applicant organizations must meet all of the following criteria:

A. Organizational Criteria

1. Organizations must be either a not-for profit corporation with a federal tax exemption [501(c)3] or use a not-for-profit corporation with a federal tax exemption as a conduit for grants.

2. The organization's primary area of activity must be among the following:
• visual arts,
• performing arts,
• media,
• arts-in-education,
• film, or
• art services organizations.

3. Organizations must demonstrate they are current on all required government filings (e.g. New York State Law Department, Charities Bureau).

4. The organization must demonstrate a history of activity of at least three years in duration.

5. Organizations must submit and demonstrate they have and are in compliance with their by-laws, mission statement and other organizational documents.

6. Organizations must have a board of directors or advisers of standing in the community and/or the field, who have participated in their affairs. (Indicate the number of years of service.)

7. Organizations must demonstrate a continuity of management, staff and/or board.

B. Financial Criteria

1. The organization must provide audited financial reports or Form 990s for the two most recently completed years or, if not required, orderly books, records and financial reports that fully describe the organization's financial operations and standing.

2. In evaluating organizations, one or more of the following will be taken into account:
a) a history of paying rent at the level that would be required, and/or
b) cash on hand consistently equal to at least one year's rent, and/or
c) a security deposit of more than three months, and/or
d) a guarantor with suitable resources.

3. An organization must demonstrate that they have received at least two consecutive years of funding from generally recognized public or private cultural arts funders.

4. An organization must provide a current and projected budget, which also indicates the sources for payment of rent.

II. Activities Criteria

Organizations that meet the Threshold Criteria will be compared based on the following Activities Criteria, which will confirm that the organization is viable and productive. An organization that does not adequately meet the Activities Criteria will not be considered.

1. The organization should demonstrate a pattern of consistent activity in furtherance of its cultural or educational mission. The following examples may help you understand this criterion, although other examples may also be appropriate:
• have a pattern of consistent presentation over three years;
• have had at least two productions per year for three years, or a similar level of producing activity;
• demonstrate a growing audience or number of people or organizations served;
• have produced or participated in curated shows;
• have a vendor ID # from the Board of Education;
• have favorable reviews from recognized critics, etc.
• provide letters of support.

2. The organization should have plans for future activities, events or public presentations.

III. Adjusting Criteria

The relative standing of an organization that meets the Activities Criteria will be improved based on the following criteria:

1. Does the organization have a critical need for space?

2. Is the organization currently located or active in Community Board 2, and/or Brooklyn?

3. Will the organization expand or complement the building's mix of:

a) artistic genres or mediums, or types of art services offered,
b) emerging and established groups, or
c) cultural diversity.