With the support of our incredible community partners we stopped The El Rey from being demolished and purchased the building for $20!
We’re going to transform this historic building into affordable housing for Seattle’s cultural workers, residency space for visiting artists, classrooms, and retail space for mission-driven organizations.
We envision a Seattle where housing is affordable for the artists who live and create here.
1 and 2 Bedroom Homes for Creative Workers
Artists and cultural workers are being priced out of cities across the country. By creating long term below market homes in the heart of Belltown we support a creative neighborhood that grows with the people who shape it.
Neighborhood Stability and Vibrancy
Long term affordable housing strengthens community connection, creates safety and supports a revived and active Belltown.
Everyone is welcome here! We’re dreaming up a ground floor that centers community connection and cultural life.
2 Retail Storefronts for Mission-Driven Businesses
Affordable retail space for small Seattle businesses or nonprofits whose work supports and uplifts the community. Increases foot traffic and brings more economic activity to other local businesses in the neighborhood. Keeps the neighborhood active.
Classroom and Gathering Space
Space for workshops, classes and meetings. Invites collaboration with local arts organizations and partners. Welcomes community members into the space for educational opportunities and connection.
Performance Venue and Gallery
Open-format performance space for readings, performances, presentations, art gallery shows and more! Creates opportunities for artists and performers to showcase their work. Invites audience members and participants into the neighborhood for rich cultural experiences.
We’re building a warm welcome for visiting artists and performers in the heart of Belltown.
Affordable lodging for visiting artists
Sixteen to eighteen low cost units for artists, writers and cultural workers who come to teach, collaborate and create.
Expanded cultural opportunities
A sliding scale model gives organizations the ability to invite guest artists, build residency programs and grow workshops, classes, readings and performances.
Stronger arts networks
A steady flow of visiting artists from around the country and around the globe creates lasting relationships and new collaborations across creative communities.
Our Support
Nonprofit Partners / Supporters
Clarion West
Town Hall Seattle
SAL (Seattle Arts & Lectures)
Bushwick Northwest
Eighth Generation
Hedgebrook
Northwest Film Forum
The Frye Art Museum
Seattle City of Literature
The Seventh Wave
Short Run Seattle
Tulipwood Books
Partners in Print
Seattle Art Book Fair
Historic Seattle
On the Boards
Theater Off Jackson
Jack Straw Cultural Center
Actualize[d] Air
Fantagraphics Books
Writing the Other
Elliott Bay Book Company
Bureau of Fearless Ideas
The 3rd Thing Press
Youth Speaks Seattle
Velocity Dance Center
Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)
Arts Corps
Belltown United
Professional Partnerships
Bruce Company
Anjali Grant Design
SMR Architects
Apex Law
Southeast Effective Development
Who We Are
Common AREA Maintenance is celebrating ten years of providing space, resources and community for Seattle’s arts and literary landscape. We host over 100 performances, literary readings, gallery shows, and educational programs in collaboration with dozens of local nonprofits, arts organizations, and individuals.
Making Wild Art Spaces That Last
Art spaces that resist commodification have always been ephemeral – flourishing in warehouses or soon-to-be demolished buildings – existing on the economic fringes of Seattle. Their existence within the city is increasingly jeopardized by the rising cost of living, and with the loss of these third spaces we lose the hubs where people can play, dream, and experiment.
Our vision is to create a space that endures, maintaining that wildness while sustaining the people who make it possible. CAM’s expansion is a critical step towards accomplishing that vision.
Community and Collaboration
Maintaining a community arts space with limited resources pushes us to envision beyond our limitations. We are constantly building the tools, spaces, and coalitions of people we need to support our ideas and our community. This commitment to resource sharing and resourcefulness helps us foster community well-being, whether that is expanding our capacity to support artists financially, establishing and nurturing scholarships to democratize access, or nurturing the emergence of arts leadership roles within our community.
“CAM is an incredible space centered on community care, with a strong emphasis on making sure everyone has what they need to thrive”
Asha Helmstetter — Second Ave Sign Project Resident Artist
Built by artists to support artists.
CAM's expansion reflects our mission of creating and manifesting more resources for the arts community and the public. The expansion into a new space is not just about physical growth, but embracing diverse forms of involvement through curatorial ideas, attending events, volunteering, and fostering connections. Tending to this supports our long-term vision of a thriving ecosystem of arts and culture in Seattle.
