The Spivak Studios building houses 12 artist studios for students to apply for each term and was named after the founder of our beautiful campus, Dr. Charles Spivak, back when the campus was home to the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society. As such, the Spivak Studios is a creative space for students to create, collaborate, and come together.
Spaces like Spivak, which allow students like yourself to work on their art while surrounded by like-minded creatives, are often only available at the graduate level, but not at RMCAD! On-campus art studios assigned to students go a long way in helping you hone your craft. For many students who live in dormitory-style housing or smaller apartments, RMCAD knows it can be hard to designate a workspace that motivates and encourages your creativity, so having space on campus is important. This makes it easier to create and prevents you from having to haul around large, bulky, or expensive equipment, especially for those of you who might rely on public transportation. For other students, being isolated in your creative process may make it hard to incorporate constructive criticism into your work. This is why it is beneficial to be surrounded by a community of fellow student creatives who can provide you with helpful feedback.
RMCAD alum Morgan Halloran is one of many who praises the studio space and experience! She graduated in 2019 from the Art Education program and worked in Spivak Studio #6 during her time as a student. “I was working on my final grad-show piece when I was in Spivak. I have a lot of great memories of the community there and I’m still in contact with a lot of my studio mates,” says Halloran. “[While in Spivak], it was beneficial to get feedback from my peers. Which prepared me as an educator. People will come into my room now and say “Hey can you look at this and give me feedback?” It was great to receive feedback, but it also helped my process to give others feedback too. That was the greatest thing I took away from Spivak.”
A common remark you might hear around campus about Spivak is that it’s “bigger on the inside.” With 12 studios, two stories, and an art gallery, Spivak is a testament that every square foot matters. The process of applying for studio space is designed to train students to build their artist’s portfolio, and craft language that will make their applications more competitive. Spivak’s application is designed to be an extension of a RMCAD student’s education so this process mirrors the application process for other exhibitions and residencies.
Whether you are looking for a creative community or just a space to create on-campus without lugging your equipment, the Spivak Studios is an important resource for RMCAD students. If you are interested in applying for space in one of the Spivak Studios for an upcoming term, check the Spivak Studios page to see when applications open!
Many of the quotes in this story have been edited for brevity and clarity by the author, but are meant to retain the significance and purpose of the original speaker.
